MEMORIAL  ADDRESSES 


LIFE  AND  CHARACTER 


WILLIAM  H.  GRAIN 


(LATE  A  REPRESENTATIVE  FROM  TEXAS), 


DELIVERED    IN    THE 


HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  AND  SENATE, 


FIFTY-FOURTH  CONGRESS,  FIRST  SESSION. 


PUBLISHED    BY    ORDER    OF    CONGRESS 


WASHINGTON : 

GOVERNMENT     PRINTING     OFFICE. 
1897. 


Scboo/^ 

V"-      WITHDRAW* 


MA 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

PREFATORY  NOTE 5 

PROCEEDINGS  IN  THE  HOUSE 7 

MEMORIAL  ADDRESSES  BY— 

Mr.  PENDLETON,  of  Texas 10 

Mr.  WALSH,  of  New  York 22 

Mr.  COOPER,  of  Florida 25 

Mr.  COOPER,  of  Texas 27 

Mr.  BELL,  of  Texas 33 

Mr.  EDDY,  of  Minnesota 35 

Mr.  MCDEARMON,  of  Tennessee 40 

Mr.  MILNES,  of  Michigan 45 

Mr.  CROWLEY,  of  Texas 48 

Mr.  FITZGERALD,  of  Massachusetts 57 

Mr.  MILLIKEN,  of  Maine 60 

Mr.  WILLIS,  of  Delaware 63 

PROCEEDINGS  IN  THE  SENATE 69 

MEMORIAL  ADDRESSES  BY — 

Mr.  CHILTON,  of  Texas 72 

Mr.  CAFFERY,  of  Louisiana 74 

Mr.  MILLS,  of  Texas 76 

3 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN  was  born  in  Galveston,  Tex., 
November  25,  1848.  He  was  graduated  from  St.  Francis 
Xavier  College,  New  York  City,  July  i,  1867,  and  afterwards 
received  the  degree  of  A.  M.  from  that  institution.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  February,  1871,  and  practiced  his  profes 
sion  more  or  less  till  his  death.  He  served  as  district  attorney 
of  his  district  and  as  State  senator,  and  was  five  times  elected 
to  Congress. 

He  died  February  10,  1896,  and  was  buried  in  the  Catholic 
cemetery  near  his  home  at  Cuero,  Tex.,  on  the  i4th  of  February 
following.  The  funeral  services  at  the  church  were  under  the 
direction  of  Bishop  Forest,  who  concluded  with  the  following 
words:  "O  L,ord,  have  mercy  on  the  Honorable  WILLIAM 
HENRY  GRAIN,  the  Catholic  American  Congressman." 

The  eulogies  delivered  in  the  House  are  recorded  at  pages 
4437-4445  and  those  of  the  Senate  at  pages  5338,5339  of  the 
CONGRESSIONAL  RECORD,  first  session,  Fifty-fourth  Congress. 

5 


DEATH  OF  HON.  WILLIAM  H.  GRAIN. 


PROCEEDINGS  IN  THE  HOUSE. 

FEBRUARY  10,  1896. 

Mr.  SAVERS.  Mr.  Speaker,  it  becomes  my  sad  duty  to 
announce  to  the  House  the  death  of  one  of  its  members, 
WILLIAM  H.  GRAIN,  a  Representative  from  Texas.  I  shall 
not  detain  the  House  further  at  this  time  than  to  say,  that 
I  shall  ask  the  House  at  some  future  day  to  pause  in  its 
deliberations  in  order  to  pay  tribute  to  the  memory  of  the 
deceased.  For  the  present  I  shall  content  myself  with 
asking  the  adoption  of  the  resolutions  which  I  send  to 
the  Clerk's  desk. 

The  Clerk  read  as  follows  : 

Resolved,  That  the  House  has  heard  with  profound  sorrow  of 
the  death  of  Hon.  WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN,  late  a  Representa 
tive  from  the  State  of  Texas. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  nine  members  of  the  House 
be  appointed  by  the  Speaker,  to  act  with  such  Senators  as  may  be 
selected,  to  attend  the  funeral  of  the  deceased;  that  the  Sergeant- 
at-Arms  of  the  House  shall  take  order  for  superintending  the 
funeral  of  the  deceased  at  his  home,  ancl  that  the  necessary 
expenses  attending  the  execution  of  this  order  shall  be  paid  out 
of  the  contingent  fund  of  the  House. 

Resolved,  That  as  a  mark  of  respect  to  Mr.  GRAIN'S  memory 
the  House  do  now  adjourn. 

Resolved,  That  the  Clerk  communicate  these  resolutions  to 
the  Senate. 


8  Proceedings  in  the  House. 

Mr.  SAVERS.  I  ask  the  adoption  of  the  resolutions  jnst 
read. 

The  resolutions  were  adopted ;  and  the  Speaker  announced 
the  appointment  of  the  following-named  members  as  the 
committee  on  the  part  of  the  House,  under  the  resolution: 

Mr.  Pendleton,  Mr.  Crowley,  Mr.  Kyle,  Mr.  "McDearmon, 
Mr.  Miles,  Mr.  Milnes,  Mr.  Leonard,  Mr.  Eddy,  and  Mr. 
Murphy,  of  Illinois. 

And  then,  in  accordance  with  the  resolutions,  the  House  (at 
12  o'clock  and  15  minutes  p.  in.)  adjourned  until  to-morrow 
at  12  o'clock  in. 


MEMORIAL  ADDRESSES. 

APRIL  25,  1896. 
Mr.  PENDLETON.   Under  the  order  of  the  House,  eulogies 

were  to  be  delivered  on  our  deceased  colleague,  Mr.  WILLIAM 
H.  GRAIN,  on  Saturday,  April  25,  commencing  at  2.30.     I 
ask  that  the  order  be  read. 
The  Clerk  read  as  follows: 

Resolved,  That  the  session  on  Saturday,  April  25,  beginning 
at  2.30  p.  m. ,  be  devoted  to  the  delivery  of  eulogies  on  the  late 
WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN. 

9 


IO  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Crain. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR,  PENDLETON. 

Mr.  PENDLETON.  Mr.  Speaker,  it  is  well  for  the  living 
to  express  their  sorrow  and  to  pay  the  tribute  of  respect  due 
to  those  who  have  been  our  daily  associates  and  friends, 
and  who  have  before  us  passed  over  the  line  which  is 
drawn  between  time  and  eternity. 

It  is  a  duty  demanded  by  friendship,  by  affection,  and  by 
our  common  humanity;  and  while  engaged  in  this  duty,  it 
reminds  us  that  we,  too,  are  mortal;  that  we,  too,  are 
hastening  to  the  grave,  and  that  when  a  few  more  fleeting 
moments  have  passed,  we  will  "be  called  into  the  presence  of 
that  Creator  who  has  given  iis  existence  and  opportunity 
and  to  whom  we  are  responsible  for  the  use  of  the  possibil 
ities  He  has  placed  in  our  grasp. 

We  miss  the  genial  smile,  the  cordial  greeting,  the  hearty 
handshake  of  our  noble  friend.  Our  hearts  are  sore,  for 
many  of  us  have  known  him  long  and  well,  and  none 
knew  him  but  to  love  him. 

WILLIAM  H.  GRAIN  was  a  native  Texan,  born  at  Galves- 
ton  November  25,  1848;  graduated  at  St.  Francis  Xavier 
College,  New  York,  in  1867;  studied  law,  and  was  admitted 
to  practice  in  1871,  at  once  taking  high  rank  in  his  profes 
sion.  Possessing  fine  natural  ability,  well  educated,  with 
a  genial  social  disposition,  it  was  natural  that  he  should 
engage  in  politics.  True  to  his  convictions  and  loyal  to 
his  friends,  he  drew  to  himself  a  body  of  earnest  supporters, 
who  followed  his  fortunes  and  made  him  successful  in 
every  contest.  He  was  elected  first  as  district  attorney, 
then  State  senator,  and  in  1884  to  the  Forty-ninth  Con- 


Address  of  Mr.  Pendleton  of  Texas.  n 

gress,  which  place  he  held  by  successive  reelections  until 
his  death. 

No  man  can  long  retain  friends  who  is  unworthy  of 
them.  On  the  other  hand,  he  who  through  a  long  term  of 
years  and  many  trying  ordeals  secures  and  holds  the  respect 
and  affection  of  a  large  number  of  the  best  among  his 
fellow-men  must  possess  sterling  qualities. 

Mr.  GRAIN  was  a  poor  man;  he  did  not  possess  the  money- 
making  faculty,  and  he  was  too  honest  to  barter  his  con 
victions  for  mere  gain.  Yet  when  money  was  needed  for 
legitimate  political  purposes,  men — prudent,  calculating 
business  men — would  use  their  means  in  his  behalf  as 
freely  as  if  he  were  a  brother  or  a  son.  No  man  in  Texas 
or  any  other  State  had  a  more  loyal,  faithful  constituency. 
When  he  announced  his  candidacy  at  the  beginning  of 
political  campaign,  it  was  the  signal  for  all  the  loyal 
enthusiasm  and  effort  of  which  his  friends  were  capable. 

His  death  brought  grief  to  many  a  heart,  and  he  will 
long  be  kindly  remembered  by  the  people  he  served  so 
faithfully  and  well. 

When  the  news  of  his  death  was  sent,  the  grief  was  deep 
and  sincere.  Throughout  his  district  (one  of  the  largest  in 
Texas)  meetings  were  held  at  all  the  principal  towns,  and 
appropriate  resolutions  were  adopted. 

The  Congressional  committee  which  escorted  his  remains 
to  his  home  was  met  at  Houston,  200  miles  distant,  by  a 
special  train,  occupied  by  his  friends  and  neighbors. 

The  estimate  placed  upon  him  by  those  who  had  known 
him  longest  and  best  can  be  better  shown  by  the  account 

o  * 

of  the  ceremonies  at  his  funeral  and  burial,  taken  from  the 
San  Antonio  Express,  which  I  here  append  as  a  part  of  my 
remarks. 


12  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

THE    LAST    HONORS    PAID   TO    CONGRESSMAN    GRAIN. 

CuERO,  TEX.,  February  i^. 

Tenderly,  and  with  hearts  whose  every  pulsation  was  a 
requiem,  the  people  of  Cuero  to-day  laid  in  the  bosom  of  Mother 
Earth  all  that  is  mortal  of  their  beloved  Congressman,  WILLIAM 
HENRY  GRAIN.  Upon  a  hillside,  where  his  children,  playing 
in  their  home,  can  watch  over  his  rest,  they  dug  his  grave,  and 
into  this  they  softly  lowered  his  body  amid  2,000  drooping 
heads. 

Such  a  tribute  is  seldom  paid  a  man.  It  was  devoid  of  gran 
deur,  but  rich  in  simple  sincerity.  It  was  a  funeral  in  which  all 
were  mourners,  a  funeral  in  which  the  most  lowly  negro  trudged 
feebly  along  behind  the  rich  equipage,  in  which  white  and  black, 
gray  hairs  and  kilted  tots,  contributed  their  grief  to  the  common 
woe.  It  was  an  inspiring  spectacle — a  lesson  that  must  have 
made  its  impression  upon  everyone  who  saw  it. 

The  shock  which  the  sudden  announcement  of  Mr.  GRAIN'S 
death  caused  made  the  people  of  Cuero  almost  insensible  of  their 
own  grief.  Dejectedly  they  hung  crape  about  their  stores  and 
houses,  and  omitted  no  opportunity  to  show  respect  to  the  mem 
ory  of  the  dead.  But  it  was  not  until  yesterday,  as  they  filed 
slowly  around  his  bier  and  looked  sadly  down  on  the  cold  and 
rigid  face  they  had  known  so  well,  did  they  become  truly  sen 
sible  of  their  grief.  Since  then  this  has  been  truly  a  town  in 
mourning.  From  the  moment  his  gray -haired  mother  and 
stricken  wife  were  led  away  from  the  casket  until  this  morning 
at  10  o'clock,  when  the  undertakers  drew  them  aside  to  shut  his 
face  off  forever  from  the  light  of  the  world,  a  constant  stream 
of  people  wended  slowly  around  the  catafalque  to  take  the  last 
look.  It  is  doubtful  if  a  man,  woman,  or  child  in  this  town 
omitted  to  pay  their  last  respects.  Certainly  more  people  than 
are  in  Cuero  did  this  honor,  for  hundreds  were  here  from  a 
distance  for  this  very  purpose. 

FLORAL   TRIBUTES. 

Some  brought  flowers  to  lay  on  his  bier;  some  were  but  small 
bunches  of  violets,  dropped  by  a  childish  hand;  others  were  mag 
nificent  designs,  which  taxed  the  art  of  the  florist.  Scarce  a 


Address  of  Mr.  Pendleton  of  Texas.  13 

variety  of  nature's  poems  was  missing.  They  were  banked  up 
a  foot  high  on  the  casket,  obscuring  from  view  all  save  a  small 
space  of  the  glass  through  which  the  kindly  face  was  visible. 
Then  they  were  placed  on  tables  and  on  the  piano,  and  finally 
chairs  had  to  be  brought  in  to  hold  the  wealth  of  floral  offerings. 
All  of  them  were  pretty,  some  magnificent  in  the  elaborateness 
of  their  design,  some  touching  in  their  winsome  simplicity.  Two 
especially  were  very  striking. 

One  was  a  circle  of  immortelles,  full  2  feet  in  diameter  and 
with  a  rim  not  less  than  6  inches  wide.  Around  the  edge  of  the 
immaculate  immortelles  was  a  faint  line  of  purple,  and  elevated 
a  few  inches  above  was  a  crosspiece  not  unlike  that  to  an  anchor. 
This,  too,  was  of  immortelles,  and  through  it  was  "Our  friend," 
in  purple.  It  was  an  offering  from  the  National  Association  of 
Letter  Carriers,  who  esteemed  Mr.  GRAIN  their  especial  friend 
because  of  his  activity  in  legislation  in  their  behalf. 

Another  magnificent  piece  was  presented  by  Mrs.  E.  D.  L. 
Wickes,  of  San  Antonio.  It  was  very  elaborate  in  design. 
Between  two  long  slender  palms,  which  gracefully  nodded  their 
tips  together,  assuming  a  shape  something  like  that  of  a  heart, 
was  a  bank,  set  incline,  of  flowers  of  almost  every  variety. 
About  2  feet  long  and  a  little  less  in  width,  it  represented  Mr. 
GRAIN'S  desk  in  Congress.  The  outlines  of  the  desk  were 
marked  by  a  border  of  Marechal  Neil  buds,  nestling  close  to.  an 
inner  border  of  passionate  dark  red  roses,  just  opening.  The 
body  of  the  desk  was  of  sprays  of  evergreens  and  pinks,  and  in 
the  center  an  open  book  was  formed  of  hyacinths  and  pinks. 
Lying  diagonally  across  the  face  of  the  book  was  a  broken  pen, 
the  stem  being  made  of  delicate  ferns.  Rising  above  the  whole 
by  nearly  a  foot  was  a  cross  formed  of  Marechal  Neils  and  red 
buds  The  whole  rested  on  a  wire  frame  made  especially  for  it. 

There  were  dozens  and  dozens  of  other  designs,  all  of  them 
pretentious,  while  there  were  banks  of  flowers  tied  in  bunches. 
Among  the  very  many  offerings  were  handsome  designs  from 
"The  Ladies  of  Edna,"  Mrs.  Richard  King,  of  Corpus  Christi, 
Mrs.  Robert  Kleberg,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sinclair  Taliaferro,  of 
Houston. 

To  add  to  the  striking  effect  of  the  scene,  three  candles  burned 


14  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

at  the  foot  of  the  casket,  where  sat  also  a  crucifix.  The  candles 
had  been  carried  by  three  of  Mr.  GRAIN'S  sons  when  they  made 
their  first  communion.  Indeed,  signs  of  Mr.  GRAIN'S  religious 
faith  were  manifest  everywhere,  for,  a  consistent  Catholic 
through  life,  he  died  surrounded  by  priests,  and  with  all  the 
rites  of  the  Church.  The  last  sacrament  was  administered  to 
him  by  Father  Foley,  of  Washington,  according  to  Mr.  Corri- 
don,  his  private  secretary,  who  was  with  him  when  he  died,  and 
who  bore  his  last  messages  to  his  stricken  wife. 

From  the  time  the  body  was  brought  to  the  house  until  it 
was  taken  to  the  church  this  morning  it  was  watched  by  a  detail 
of  the  Merchants'  Protective  Hose  Company,  of  which  Mr. 
GRAIN  used  to  be  an  active  member,  and  of  which  he  was  an 
honorary  member  at  the  time  of  his  death.  This  privilege  was 
granted  at  their  own  request,  for  each  of  them  felt  an  especial 
affection  for  him. 

CROWDS   VIEW   THE    REMAINS. 

Their  vigil  was  not  long,  for,  save  during  the  middle  hours 
of  the  night,  there  were  always  crowds  coming  to  see  the  body. 
Early  this  morning,  before  most  people  had  breakfasted,  they 
began  to  come,  and  as  the  day  grew  so  did  their  numbers.  Be 
fore  the  sun  had  driven  the  chill  from  the  air  the  line  reached 
from  the  street  into  the  house. 

Most  of  the  callers  this  morning  were  out-of-town  people, 
who  had  come  in  on  the  early  trains  and  on  the  special  from 
Victoria.  There  was  an  unwonted  crowd  on  the  streets,  and 
had  not  a  subdued  air  prevaded  all,  a  stranger  might  have 
thought  some  festival  was  about  to  begin.  But  as  it  was,  this 
could  not  be  thought,  for  it  was  not  a  moving  crowd,  but  a  crowd 
that  gathered  in  knots  all  over  town  before  closed  doors  and 
heavy-draped  windows.  Toward  9  o'clock  they  began  to  drift 
toward  the  residence  where  the  body  lay. 

The  residence  is  a  big,  old-fashioned  two-story  house,  almost 
square,  and  destitute  of  the  least  fanciful  design.  It  stands  in 
one  corner  of  a  2-acre  lot,  covered  with  grass.  It  is  but  a  step 
from  the  church,  and  between  the  two  places  the  sidewalks  were 
not  adequate  for  the  crowds  that  passed  to  and  fro. 


Address  of  Mr.  Pendleton  of  Texas.  15 

Before  the  crowd  became  very  large  this  morning  the  members 
of  both  fire  companies,  in  uniform,  took  position  on  each  side  of 
the  walk  leading  from  the  gate  to  the  door,  and  kept  the  line 
moving  between  the  walls  which  they  formed. 

Among  the  callers  about  this  time  were  Governor  Culberson, 
accompanied  by  Colonel  Proctor,  Mr.  Ed.  Kauffman,  internal- 
revenue  collector  of  Austin,  and  Mr.  Pleasanton,  secretary  of  the 
Democratic  State  executive  committee.  State  Senator  L,a\vhon 
was  also  among  the  callers,  as  was  Mr.  Rudolph  Kleberg,  who 
came  to  look  for  the  last  time  on  the  face  of  his  dead  partner. 

Governor  Culberson  spent  but  a  moment  beside  the  body,  and 
then  stood  out  in  the  hall  until  the  members  of  the  Congres 
sional  escort  arrived.  They  wore  long  white  silk  sashes,  hung 
diagonally  from  their  shoulders,  with  black  rosettes  at  the 
shoulder  and  where  they  crossed  at  the  button.  They  also  wore 
white  silk  gloves,  and  these,  with  glossy  silk  tiles  and  long  broad 
cloth  Prince  Alberts,  made  a  striking  uniform.  When  they 
arrived,  Undertaker  Zurhorst,  of  Washington,  who  directed  the 
ceremonies,  pinned  sashes  on  Governor  Culberson  and  Colonel 
Proctor,  and  they  were  among  the  honorary  pallbearers.  The 
members  of  the  Cuero  Turn-Verein,  with  their  silk  banner  heavily 
draped  in  black,  arrived  in  a  body  and  passed  around  the  casket. 
Then,  it  being  just  10  o'clock,  the  cover  was  screwed  over  the 
glass  plates  and  the  face  of  WIUJAM  HENRY  GRAIN  was  shut 
from  view  forever.  The  flowers  which  had  covered  it  were  taken 
off,  revealing  a  plain  but  rich  casket  covered  with  heavy  velvet. 
Save  for  the  ornamentation  of  the  massive  silver  handle  pieces, 
there  was  no  decoration.  On  the  middle  was  a  heavy  silver 
plate,  on  which  was  engraved  : 

WILLIAM    HENRY   GRAIN. 

November  25,  1848. 
February  10,  1896. 

The  active  pallbearers  were  Charles  Breeding,  Joseph  Rice, 
Dr.  W.  R.  Rathbone,  John  McDonald,  Jeff  Baker,  and  Joseph' 
Sheppard,  all  of  whom  live  in  Cuero.  These  gently  lifted  the 
casket  and  bore  it  to  the  waiting  hearse,  to  which  were  hitched 
four  handsome  black  horses. 

When  the  body  was  deposited  in  the  hearse,  the  members  of 


16  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Craiti. 

the  fire  company  marched  ahead  and  took  a  position  in  front. 
The  honorary  pallbearers  divided  on  each  side  of  the  hearse. 
Next,  in  carriages,  were  Mr.  GRAIN'S  mother,  his  sister-in-law, 
and  Judge  Mitchell,  of  Victoria,  and  his  five  children.  Mrs. 
Grain  did  not  attend  either  at  the  church  or  the  grave,  she  being 
completely  prostrated.  Probably  a  thousand  others  fell  in  behind , 
and  thus  they  marched  slowly  to  the  church. 

SERVICES   AT   THE   CHURCH. 

The  big  crowd  which  was  standing  outside  the  church,  being 
unable  to  get  admission,  opened  a  passageway,  and  when  the 
procession  was  in,  closed  up  and  wholly  hid  it  from  view. 

At  the  entrance  the  casket  was  met  by  Bishop  Forest  and  five 
surpliced  priests,  with  crucifix,  font,  and  censer. 

' '  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life, ' '  announced  the  arrival 
of  the  corpse,  and  simultaneously  from  the  deep  solemn  voice  of 
the  pipe  organ  came  the  dirge.  Slowly  up  the  aisle,  follow 
ing  the  praying  clergy,  the  casket  was  borne  and  placed  in  front 
of  the  altar.  Save  that  the  altar  and  chancel  were  dressed  in 
midnight  black,  the  church  was  not  draped.  High  above  the 
altar,  though,  rested  the  floral  piece  which  Mrs.  Wickes  had 
sent.  The  relatives  took  the  front  seats  on  the  left  of  the  aisle 
and  the  pallbearers  were  immediately  opposite. 

Then  the  crowd  was  admitted  until  the  church  was  full,  when 
the  doors  were  closed,  leaving  a  thousand  outside. 

Requiem  mass  differs  from  high  mass  scarcely  in  any  detail 
except  that  the  music  is  very  solemn,  being  sung  almost  in  dirge 
time.  The  Credo,  Kyrie,  and  Offertory  are  sung,  but  not  the 
Gloria.  Father  Wyer,  of  St.  Joseph's  College,  Victoria,  was 
the  celebrant;  Father  Kline,  of  St.  Edward's,  Austin,  was  the 
deacon;  Father  Gerlach,  of  Myersville,  subdeacon,  and  Father 
Mocyzgambi,  of  Pana  Maria,  master  of  ceremonies.  Bishop 
Forest  sat  on  the  gospel  side  of  the  altar  with  Father  Shehan, 
pastor  of  the  church.  Bishop  Forest  blessed  the  corpse  and 
gave  the  benediction. 

When  the  service  had  been  concluded,  Father  Smith,  of  San 
Antonio,  robed  only  in  a  black  cassock,  with  a  crucifix  in  his 
belt,  stepped  to  the  front  of  the  altar  and  spoke  of  the  dead. 


Address  of  Mr.  Pendleton  of  Texas.  17 

"Death  is  an  unwelcome  visitor,"  lie  said,  "and,  unbidden, 
enters  every  rank  of  life.  It  respects  neither  the  righteous  nor 
the  wicked,  neither  rich  nor  poor,  and  so  audacious  is  it,  that 
one  day  it  ascended  Calvary  and.  did  not  come  down  until  it  had 
given  the  fatal  blow  to  God  himself,  made  man.  Here  before 
us  to-day  we  have  evidence  of  his  visit. 

'  'Among  men  there  is  an  unbounded  ambition.  From  birth 
they  seek  to  attain  the  influential  positions  of  life.  Many  aspire 
to  the  legislature  of  their  country  or  of  their  States,  and  not  a 
few  as  editors  of  newspapers  aspire  to  lead  the  thought  of  men 
and  mold  the  opinion  of  the  public.  From  the  newspaper 
men  we  expect  that  they  shall  strive  to  widen  and  uplift  our 
thoughts.  To  the  legislators  the  people  look  for  such  la\vs  as 
will  conduce  to  their  happiness,  and  the  one  who  seeks  to  rule 
by  laws  and  enactments  must,  if  he  be  successful,  give  heed  to 
the  higher  laws  of  God. 

' '  The  deceased  was  one  who  considered  the  responsibilities  of 
public  life.  In  tender  years,  when  he  thought  he  was  destined 
for  public  usefulness,  he  knocked  at  the  door  of  the  Catholic 
Church  and  asked  to  be  admitted  among  her  children.  He  was 
soon  convinced  that  she  who  had  witnessed  the  downfall  and 
rise  of  so  many  people,  who  for  so  long  a  time  had  governed 
men  and  had  assisted  nations  in  regaining  their  lost  prestige, 
had  a  true  sense  of  liberty,  which  means  to  do  the  greatest  good 
to  the  greatest  number.  She  told  him  that  there  was  a  God; 
that  there  was  a  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.  She  told  him  that 
there  were  two  powers  independent  in  their  spheres — the  spir 
itual  and  the  physical.  She  told  him  also  of  the  necessity  of 
making  use  of  this  world  for  the  other,  of  the  use  of  reason  and 
religion.  She  told  him  all  this,  and  he  accepted  it,  and  those 
who  may  have  listened  to  his  reasons  for  joining  that  Church 
know  that,  as  he  frequently  said  to  himself,  he  was  a  '  convinced 
Catholic.'  He  was  a  convinced  Catholic,  and,  my  dear  friends, 
he  took  the  teachings  which  he  had  received  from  the  Church 
and  brought  them  into  the  public  arena,  and  became  not  only  a 
Catholic  but  an  American,  feeling  himself  at  home  anywhere  in 
this  country.  He  was  not  afraid  to  say  that  he  was  an  Ameri 
can,  and  his  loyalty  to  the  Church  did  not  suffer.  Never  did  he 
forget  that  he  was  a  Catholic  American. 
H .  Doc .  429 2 


i8  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

"A  Catholic  American  the  deceased  was;  and  as  I  have  prom 
ised  not  to  delay  you  long,  I  can  not  better  illustrate  what  I 
have  said  than  to  recall  to  your  mind  the  last  speech  which  he 
uttered  in  the  halls  of  Congress.  It  was  on  a  bill  making  an 
appropriation  for  charitable  purposes.  The  peroration  must 
still  ring  in  your  ears.  Once  more  he  brought  the  antagonistic 
armies  on  the  fields  of  thirty  years  ago  face  to  face.  You  saw 
them  fight;  you  saw  them  fall  dead  and  wounded;  and  on  those 
fields  of  carnage  he  showed  you  the  Sisters  of  Charity — white- 
winged  ministers  of  God's  mercy — going  about  the  fields  hold 
ing  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  some  parched  lips,  dressing  the 
wounds  of  some  prostrate  soldier,  praying  beside  some  fallen 
boy,  and  closing  in  death  the  eyes  of  those  who  had  been  killed. 
In  that  peroration — in  that  speech — you  can  see  the  Catholic, 
who,  fast  in  the  faith  of  the  Church,  teaches  wisdom  and  love 
of  country.  You  can  see  likewise  the  statesman,  applying  the 
Constitution  of  his  country,  which  demands  justice  for  all. 

"I  will  conclude  by  asking  what  he  is  unable  to  ask  now. 
We  have  a  soul;  so  had  he,  but  it  is  now  in  eternity,  and  he 
realizes  now,  no  doubt,  the  truth  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Cath 
olic  Church,  and  one  of  them  is  prayer  for  the  dead.  And 
to-day  and  hereafter,  when  his  name  comes  to  your  memory, 
do  not  forget  to  say,  '  O  Lord,  have  mercy  on  the  Honorable 
WILLIAM  HENRY  CRAIN,  the  Catholic  American  Congress 
man.  '  ' ' 

Then  Bishop  Forest  passed  twice  around  the  casket,  once 
sprinkling  it  with  holy  water  and  once  with  the  censer.  Then 
the  pallbearers  lifted  the  body,  and,  following  Bishop  Forest 
and  five  robed  priests,  they  placed  it  in  the  hearse,  and  it  was 
borne  to  the  cemetery. 

AT  THE  CEMETERY. 

The  cemetery  is  about  half  a  mile  from  the  church,  on  a  hill 
side,  and  in  view  of  the  house  which  was  the  dead  Congressman's 
home.  The  procession  en  route  passed  quite  in  front  of  where 
his  widow  lay  sick  of  grief.  The  order  of  march  was  the  same 
as  that  from  the  house  to  the  church,  except  that  the  honorary 
pallbearers  rode  in  carriages  immediately  behind  the  hearse. 


Address  of  Mr.  Pendleton  of  Texas.  19 

The  line  extended  almost  from  the  church  to  the  cemetery. 
Fully  two-thirds  of  those  who  were  at  the  cemetery  went  afoot. 

The  ceremony  at  the  grave  was  very  brief,  consisting  of 
L,atin  chants.  When  these  had  been  sung,  Bishop  Forest  and 
each  of  the  priests  threw  a  spadeful  of  earth  into  the  grave. 
Then  the  active  pallbearers,  hats  in  hand,  filed  singly  around 
the  grave,  and  as  each  passed  its  head  he  took  the  crape  from 
his  arm  and  dropped  it  in. 

The  firemen  followed,  casting  the  crape  and  bunches  of  ever 
green  which  they  carried  into  the  grave.  Then  came  the  hon 
orary  pallbearers,  the  Congressional  escort,  and  as  they  passed 
the  head  of  the  grave  they  drew  off  the  white  silk  gloves  from 
their  hands  and  dropped  them  onto  the  casket. 

Then  the  flowers,  of  which  there  was  an  immense  pile,  were 
thrown  in,  and  lastly  four  strong  men  covered  the  whole  with 
earth  and  piled  it  up  high  to  mark  the  last  resting  place  of 
WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN. 

AUSTIN,  TEX.,  February  14.. 

Out  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  the  late  WILLIAM  HENRY 
GRAIN,  whose  remains  were  to-day  consigned  to  the  grave  in  the 
cemetery  at  Cuero,  the  flags  on  the  State  capitol  and  the  Federal 
building  have  been  flying  at  half-mast.  No  member  of  the 
Texas  delegation  in  Congress  was  more  popular  in  Austin  than 
Mr.  GRAIN,  and  the  news  of  his  death  came  to  his  Austin 
friends  like  a  clap  of  thunder  in  a  clear  sky.  Generous,  impul 
sive,  and  brilliant,  his  was  a  life  that  shone  like  some  majestic 
star,  dimming  those  around  it  by  its  matchless  luster,  while  his 
genius  charmed  and  cast  a  spell  on  all  who  came  beneath  its 
influence.  Born  where  the  ocean's  roar  made  the  first  music 
for  his  infant  ears,  he  seemed  to  catch  that  inspiration  from  the 
boundless  deep  which  moved  to  mighty  deeds. 

The  S.  S.  Prentiss  of  the  South,  he  knew  not  what  fear  meant 
when  duty  called,  for  his  was  the  courage  of  a  Richard  Cceur  de 
Lion  and  the  spirit  of  a  Henry  of  Navarre.  But  ' '  he  is  now  at 
rest,  and  praise  and  blame  fall  on  his  ear  alike,  now  cold  in 
death. ' '  No  more  will  his  voice  charm  with  its  magic  or  arouse 
with  its  eloquence,  and  to-day,  when  the  grave  received  all  that 
was  mortal  of  this  mighty  statesman,  this  matchless  orator,  this 


2O  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

friend  of  liberty,  this  genial,  generous,  and  impulsive  man,  all 
nature  sighed  and  a  shadow  crossed  the  sun.  ' '  Yes,  thou  art 
gone,  gone  like  a  star,  that  through  the  firmament  shot  and 
was  lost,  in  its  eccentric  course  dazzling,  perplexing,"  and 

Look  where  we  may,  yet  we  will  look  in  vain 
To  find  thy  likeness,  O  immortal  GRAIN! 

A  FRIEND. 

PROCEEDINGS    AT    EAGLE    PASS. 

EAGLE  PASS,  TEX.,  February  ij. 

The  citizens  of  Eagle  Pass,  irrespective  of  party,  met  at  the 
court-house  last  night  to  express  the  sentiments  of  this  commu 
nity  on  the  untimely  death  of  the  Honorable  WILLIAM  HENRY 
GRAIN,  once  its  honored  Representative. 

Judge  Winchester  Kelso  was  elected  chairman  and  Maj.  S.  M. 
Simmons  secretary. 

After  eulogistic  remarks  on  the  rare  ability  and  charming  per 
sonality  of  deceased,  the  following  committee  was  appointed 
to  draft  resolutions  expressing  the  sentiments  of  the  meeting: 
J.  M.  Goggin,  J.  O.  Williamson,  W.  Kelso,  W.  A.  Fitch,  A.  H. 
Evans,  and  C.  W.  Hartup. 

The  committee  afterwards  presented  the  following  resolutions, 
which  were  unanimously  adopted: 

' '  Resolved,  First,  that  this  community  has  heard  with  profound 
sorrow  of  the  death  of  our  former  Representative,  the  Hon. 
W.  H.  GRAIN. 

"Second.  That  in  the  death  of  the  Hon.  W.  H.  GRAIN  Texas 
has  lost  one  of  her  noblest  and  best  sons  and  a  nation  one  of 
her  ablest  and  wisest  lawmakers. 

"Third.  That  the  sympathies  of  this  entire  community  go 
out  to  the  family  of  the  deceased. 

"Fourth.  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  forwarded  to 
the  family  of  the  deceased  and  to  the  press." 

While  he  was  sincere  in  his  political  opinions  and  bold  in 
asserting  them,  he  never  unnecessarily  wounded  the  feelings 
of  those  who  differed  with  him,  and  among  his  political 
opponents  he  numbered  some  of  his  best  personal  friends. 


Address  of  Mr.  Pendleton  of  Texas.  21 

The  Republican  convention  in  Aransas  County  adopted  the 
resolutions  which  I  here  append  : 

Be  it  resolved  by  the  Republicans  of  Aransas  County  in  conven 
tion  assembled,  That  in  the  death  of  the  Hon.  WILLIAM  HENRY 
GRAIN  the  citizenship  of  southwest  Texas  has  lost  a  most  pol 
ished,  worthy,  and  able  representative;  that  the  Republicans  of 
this  district  share  and  feel  that  loss,  and  join  with  their  Demo 
cratic  friends  in  mourning  the  demise  of  one  of  Democracy's 
brightest  minds  and  one  of  Republicanism's  most  honorable  and 
talented  foes ;  that  a  copy  of  this  resolution  be  furnished  the 
press  of  the  State,  and  as  a  mark  of  our  respectful  sympathy 
the  secretary  is  also  instructed  to  transmit  a  copy  to  the  family 
of  the  deceased. 

He  left  to  mourn  his  loss  a  wife,  one  of  the  purest  and 
noblest  women  who  ever  blessed  a  home,  and  seven  children, 
all  bright  and  sensible,  but  most  of  them  too  young  to  battle 
with  the  world. 

The  grief-stricken  mother  must  not  only  bear  her  burden 
of  woe,  but  must  also  take  the  place  of  both  parents. 

Our  friend  had  his  faults,  and  no  man  more  regretted  and 
deplored  them.  None  of  us  is  exempt.  ' '  To  err  is  human. ' ' 

No  further  seek  his  merits  to  disclose, 
Nor  draw  his  frailties  from  their  dread  abode 
(There  they  alike  in  trembling  hope  repose). 
The  bosom  of  his  Father  and  his  God. 


22  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  WALSH. 

Mr.  WALSH.  Mr.  Speaker,  the  last  speech  Mr.  WILLIAM 
H.  GRAIN  made  and  the  very  last  words  he  uttered  in  this 
House  illustrate  two  traits  in  his  character  which  it  must 
please  his  friends  to  recall. 

1 '  The  Speaker  will  take  care  of  me, ' '  were  his  last  spoken 
words  on  this  floor,  evidently  in  response  to  some  suggestion 
of  a  fellow-member  not  recorded,  and  they  evince  that 
courteous  respect  for  authority,  coupled  with  that  gentle 
manliness  characteristic  of  him  under  all  circumstances. 

His  last  speech  was  for  the  charitable  institutions  of  the 
District  of  Columbia.  In  it  he  begged  us  to  remember 
those  whose  tender  hands  had  cooled  the  fevered  brows  of 
our  brave  soldiers  after  the  disasters  of  the  battlefield,  and 
who  are  now  devoting  their  lives  to  comforting  the  afflicted, 
feeding  the  hungry,  and  harboring  the  homeless.  He 
endeavored  to  inspire  us  with  the  gratitude  that  was  burn 
ing  so  intensely  in  his  heart  and  to  impart  to  us  a  compassion 
for  the  unfortunate  as  deep  as  his  own. 

These  qualities,  with  others  his  friends  will  well  remem 
ber,  bring  him  so  near  the  great  English  thinker's  estimate 
of  a  gentleman  that  I  may  be  pardoned  for  quoting  his 
words.  It  was  Ruskin  who  said  that  "a  gentleman's  first 
characteristic  is  that  fineness  of  structure  in  the  body 
which  renders  it  capable  of  the  most  delicate  sensations,  and 
of  structure  in  the  mind  which  renders  it  capable  of  the 
most  delicate  sympathies — one  may  say,  fineness  of  nature. 
That  is,  of  course,  compatible  with  heroic  bodily  strength 


Address  of  Mr.  Walsh  of  New  York.  23 

and  mental  firmness.  In  fact,  heroic  strength  is  not  con 
ceivable  without  such  delicacy.  Elephantine  strength  may 
drive  its  way  through  a  forest  and  feel  no  touch  of  the 
boughs,  but  the  white  skin  of  Homer's  Atridse  would  have 
felt  a  bent  rose  leaf,  yet  subdue  its  feeling  in  glow  of  battle 
and  behave  itself  like  iron." 

Who  that  saw  his  manly  form  and  knew  its  sensitive 
nature;  who  that  felt  the  generous  warmth  of  his  friend 
ship,  his  uniform  courtesy,  the  brilliance  of  his  mental 
make-up  and  his  tender  sympathies,  can  fail  to  appreciate  in 
his  memory  the  man  and  the  gentleman. 

I  will  leave  to  those  who  knew  him  longer — who  are  more 
familiar  with  his  political  career — the  opportunity  to  dwell 
on  the  causes  of  his  success.  Yet  it  is  proper  to  recall  the 
fact  that  he  pursued  his  college  career  in  a  college  situated 
within  the  limits  of  the  district  which  I  have  the  honor  to 
represent,  and  while  there  he  lived  in  the  neighborhood 
where  I  have  spent  my  life. 

When  we  heard  of  his  nomination  for  Congress  in  far 
away  Texas' — his  home  State — we  felt  as  keen  an  interest 
in  his  success  as  might  any  of  his  constituents;  for  while 
with  us  in  the  years  when  he  was  budding  into  manhood, 
when  he  was  developing  his  best  qualities  of  mind  and 
heart,  he  became  endeared  to  us,  and  when  he  bade  us  fare 
well,  he  left  behind  him  a  reputation  for  brightness  of  mind 
and  cleanness  of  heart  and  generosity  of  soul  which  earned 
for  him  our  ardent  wishes  for  his  future  happiness  and 
prosperity,  and  up  to  the  very  hour  of  his  death  we  have 
been  far  from  indifferent  to  his  success. 

We  looked,  in  the  nature  of  things,  for  a  longer  life, 
but  the  Almighty  Providence,  whose  wisdom  none  will 
question,  decreed  the  contrary. 


24  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Cram. 

For  his  friends  in  New  York  who  were  the  companions 
of  his  early  manhood,  I  pay  this  last  tribute  of  respect  to 
his  memory. 

For  myself,  I  can  only  say  that  my  association  with  him 
here  was  more  than  agreeable,  and  all  too  short.  If  there 
were  any  faults  in  his  character,  they  lie  buried  with  his 
body  beneath  the  ' '  sacred  grass  and  the  saddened  flowers. ' ' 

His  charming  personality,  his  scholarly  attainments,  his 
noble  soul,  his  generous  impulses,  his  tender  sympathies, 
and  his  brightness  of  mind  will  live  in  our  memories  as 
the  characteristics  which  we  honored  and  loved  in  him  and 
which  should  endure.  May  he  rest  in  peace. 


Address  of  Mr.  Cooper  of  Florida.  25 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  COOPER. 

Mr.  COOPER,  of  Florida.  Mr.  Speaker,  I  shall  not  attempt 
any  set  speech  or  any  formal  eulogy  of  Mr.  WILLIAM  H. 
GRAIN.  I  wish  merely  to  utter  a  few  words,  however  inade 
quate,  expressive  of  the  esteem  and  the  admiration  which  I 
feel  for  many  of  the  qualities  of  the  man.  No  one  could 
come  in  contact  with  him  without  appreciating  the  fact 
that  he  was  a  cultivated  gentleman.  His  manners  were 
graceful,  easy,  simple,  and  unaffected.  They  came,  as  the 
best  manners  always  do,  from  the  heart  within  the  man. 
One  of  his  most  notable  characteristics  was  generosity.  He 
was  generous  not  merely  in  pecuniary  matters,  but  gener 
ous  of  his  time,  generous  of  his  information,  generous  of 
efforts  for  others,  generous  in  all  his  intercourse  with  his 
associates  and  his  fellow-men.  Another  admirable  quality 
of  the  man  was  frankness.  Whatever  faults  he  had  were 
apparent  to  all.  He  wore  his  heart  upon  his  sleeve.  There 
was  naught  of  hypocrisy  in  his  make-up.  He  possessed  a 
fine  mind,  highly  cultivated.  He  had  as  wide  a  fund  of 
general  information  as  most  men  in  this  House,  and  upon 
some  special  subjects  he  possessed  as  deep  and  as  accurate 
information  as  any  man  on  this  floor,  if  not  more.  I  did 
not  know  him  as  long  as  many  here.  My  acquaintance 
with  him  began  in  the  Fifty-third  Congress,  but  I  knew  him 
long  enough  to  appreciate  many  of  his  attractive,  high,  and 
noble  qualities. 

He  was  a  man  of  sincere  religious  convictions,  deeply 
attached  to  his  Church.  Like  most  men  who  have  mingled 
much  with  the  world,  its  temptations,  and  its  distractions, 


26  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

he  may  not  always  have  reached  his  own  ideal  in  a  strict 
following  of  his  own  religious  convictions,  but  his  reverence 
for  them  was  always  deep  and  sincere.  The  last  speech  he 
made  upon  the  floor  of  this  House  was  in  their  defense,  and 
among  the  last  words  he  uttered  was  a  deeply  touching  trib 
ute  to  those  pure  and  lovely  devotees  and  ministrants  of 
religion,  the  sisterhoods  of  the  Catholic  Church;  and,  indeed, 
it  is  a  matter  of  sincere  gratification  to  his  friends  to  know 
that  in  his  last  hours  he  had  the  ministrations  and  the  con 
solations  of  his  religion.  But  words  avail  not;  he  is  gone. 
May  earth  rest  lightly  and  the  grass  grow  green  above  him, 
for  it  is  a  noble  heart  that  sleeps  beneath. 


Address  of  Mr.  Cooper  of  Texas.  27 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  COOPER. 

Mr.  COOPER,  of  Texas.  Mr.  Speaker,  it  is  not  my  pur 
pose  to  detail  the  various  incidents  which  collectively  con 
stitute  the  life  history  of  the  late  member  of  this  body 
whose  memory  we  have  met  here  to-day  to  honor.  Of  his 
biography  others  who  have  already  spoken  or  who  may  yet 
speak  are  more  competent  to  give  account.  Suffice  it  for 
me  to  say  that,  contrary  to  popular  impression,  the  men  who 
have  made  the  most  valuable  contributions  to  the  welfare 
of  the  human  race,  the  men  whose  lives  have  most  strongly 
influenced  the  current  of  contemporary  history — the  really 
great  men  of  the  world — were  not  always,  perhaps  not  gen 
erally,  those  whose  lives  contained  the  most  remarkable 
incident,  the  most  sensational  episode,  the  most  wonderful 
vicissitude. 

Our  brother  is  gone.  "The  dull,  cold  ear  of  death" 
shall  be  his  till  it  responds  to  the  great  roll  call  of  the  ages 
in  the  hour  of  the  Last  Judgment.  Nothing  that  we  may 
say  or  leave  unsaid  here  to-day  can  or  will  be  heard  or 
recognized  by  him.  Therefore  we  speak  not  to  the  dead, 
but  to  the  living. 

The  life  of  our  departed  friend  and  fellow-legislator  offers 
us  some  useful  lessons  to  be  applied  in  the  shaping  of  our 
own  personal  life  work. 

Born  a  Texan,  he  spent  his  whole  life  among  the  people 
of  his  native  State,  and  was  at  one  time  the  only  native- 
born  Texan  in  her  delegation  in  the  National  Congress. 


28  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Crain. 

Though  a  part  of  his  youth  was  spent  in  the  commercial 
metropolis  of  America,  surrounded  by  all  the  alluring  attrac 
tions  of  the  most  advanced  civilization  of  the  Western 
World,  yet  he  exhibited  the  sturdiness  of  his  patriotism 
and  love  for  his  native  State  by  returning  to  her  borders  at 
the  close  of  his  collegiate  career  and  engaging  in  the  ardu 
ous  and  exacting  labors  of  his  profession,  which  ultimately 
brought  him  distinction  among  his  people.  While  he  might 
have  imitated  the  example  of  many  others  by  yielding  to 
the  blandishments  of  life  in  the  progressive  East,  and  might 
have  thus  secured  a  high  measure  of  success  amid  its  gayer 
and  richer  environment,  he  preferred  to  cast  his  lot  with 
his  people  in  the  lonely  and  sparsely  settled  plains  of  the 
Gulf  Coast ;  and  there  he  helped  them  to  build  the  founda 
tions  of  that  great  Commonwealth  whose  progress  has 
awakened  the  admiration  and  yet  excited  the  apprehension 
of  the  older  States  of  the  East,  and  whose  wonderful  growth 
has  threatened  their  political  supremacy. 

As  he  made  his  home,  by  choice,  with  the  poor  and 
humble  (though  proud,  brave,  and  adventurous)  settlers  in  a 
new  land,  where  ambition  and  self-interest  could  find  little 
food  for  hope,  so  he  was  always  a  consistent  exponent  of 
that  high  chivalry  that  pleads  for  the  helpless,  champions 
the  fallen,  and  gives  its  sympathy  and  effort  to  those  who 
are  needy  rather  than  to  those  who  are  able  to  repay  with 
interest.  In  him  the  poor  found  a  friend,  the  destitute  a 
benefactor,  the  oppressed  a  defender.  These  are  the  quali 
ties  that  appeal  most  strongly  to  the  hearts  of  the  masses. 
Xerxes,  panoplied  in  golden  armor,  attended  by  a  congress 
of  subservient  and  tributary  kings,  and  surrounded  by  all 
the  paraphernalia  and  proofs  of  earthly  power,  might  well 
excite  the  wonder  or  even  the  admiration  of  the  world  of 


Address  of  Mr.  Cooper  of  Texas.  29 

warriors  that  gathered  around  him  as  he  stood  upon  the 
shores  of  the  Bosphorus  in  the  long  ago  and  claimed  domin 
ion  over  the  two  continents  that  its  waters  divided  ;  but  the 
picture  of  Stonewall  Jackson  sleeping  on  a  tattered  blanket 
in  a  tentless  field  and  rising  at  morn  to  share  in  the  break 
fast  of  corn  bread  and  rye  coffee  that  constituted  the  fare  of 
his  poorest  soldiers — that  submergence  of  self  in  the  service 
of  a  great  cause — reaches  at  once  to  the  hearts  of  his  fol 
lowers  on  the  fields  of  blood  and  his  admirers  throughout  the 
world  wherever  men  read  history  and  admire  unselfishness. 
Whatever  else  may  be  said  of  democracy,  whatever  other 
deductions  may  be  made  from  its  workings,  we  must  con 
cede  that  where  it  truly  exists  no  man  can  long  retain  high 
public  station  unless  he  possess  some  of  the  great  qualities 
that  entitle  men  to  success.  Our  deceased  friend  easily  kept 
his  place  in  this  body  and  in  the  affections  of  his  people 
year  after  year,  campaign  after  campaign,  and  the  secret  of 
his  popularity  was  his  brilliancy  of  thought,  his  eloquence 
of  speech,  his  magnetic  influence,  and  his  chivalric  charac 
ter.  In  this  day  of  greed  and  selfishness  this  is  no  mean 
tribute  to  the  memory  of  any  man  when  measured  by  the 
higher  standards  of  human  worth. 

In  addition  to  his  nobler  qualities  of  mind  and  heart,  our 
friend  had  his  weaknesses,  as  who  of  us — who,  anywhere — 
has  not?  It  is  neither  true  to  fact  nor  any  particular  honor 
to  the  dead  to  deny,  after  death,  those  frailties  that  the  dead 
themselves  did  not  and  would  not  deny  or  extenuate  while 
living.  He  who  would  teach  us  that  our  deceased  friend 
had  no  weaknesses,  felt  no  temptations,  stumbled  not  in  his 
march  through  the  allurements  of  life,  would  lift  him  at 
once  above  the  plane  of  mortal  men  and  above  that  sym 
pathy  which  the  world  is  ever  ready  to  accord  to  the  noble, 


30  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

struggling,    yielding,    suffering   weak.      Of    our   departed 
friend  it  might  well  be  said : 

Is  it  true,  O  Christ  in  Heaven, 

That  the  strongest  suffer  most? 
That  the  noblest  wander  farthest, 

And  most  hopelessly  are  lost? 

But  for  him  let  it  be  said  that  it  is  a  grander  triumph  for 
the  man  of  warm  and  general  impulses  to  walk,  even  with 
uncertain  and  stumbling  steps,  than  it  is  for  the  cold,  cyn 
ical,  unfeeling  man  to  pursue  the  path  of  right  without 
deviation,  because  his  icy  nature  makes  him  incapable  of 
temptation.  It  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  because  one 
of  the  most  comforting,  thoughts  connected  with  Christian 
theology  that  when  all  the  individuals  of  the  human  race 
shall  be  convened  in  one  mighty  throng  around  the  Throne 
of  God  at  the  Last  Judgment,  we  shall  all  be  judged  by 
One  who  "took  upon  himself  our  weaknesses  and  bore  our 
infirmities,"  One  who  trod  in  the  footsteps  of  our  erring 
life,  and  who,  though  He  yielded  not  to  temptation  even 
when  offered  all  the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  yet  knew  from 
experience  the  power  of  the  influences  that  entice  men 
away  from  the  right. 

If,  then,  we  hope  to  enjoy  charity  of  judgment  from  the 
Son  of  Man  when  our  life  work  shall  be  unrolled  before 
the  gaze  of  Omniscience,  how  much  more  meet  is  it  that 
with  none  but  loving  hands  and  broad  charity  should  we 
lift  the  veil  that  covers  from  the  eyes  of  the  world  the 
frailties  of  our  dead  brother.  Without  seeking  to  deny  or 
minimize  his  shortcomings,  let  us  speak  of  them  in  tones 
of  sympathy  and  regret,  and  with  a  felt,  even  if  unspoken, 
prayer  that  we  may  profit  by  his  errors  and  be  saved  from 
the  inherited  weaknesses  of  our  own  natures-. 


Address  of  Mr.  Cooper  of  Texas.  31 

While  our  friend  may  not  have  attained  international 
celebrity,  let  iis  not  conclude  that  his  life  was  not  a  success. 
The  true  measure  of  success  is  the  work  that  we  do  for  the 
generations  to  come — for  posterity,  for  humanity.  He  has 
not  lived  in  vain  who  has  filled  the  full  measure  of  his 
opportunities,  who  has  justly  exercised  his  means  of  serv 
ing  his  fellow-man,  who  has  contributed  something  to  the 
progress  and  happiness  of  humanity.  In  the  laboriously 
framed  fabric  of  national  greatness,  woven  and  interwoven 
with  the  threads  of  complicated  purposes,  conflicting  inter 
ests,  and  mutual  concession,  no  one  man's  work  is  easily 
separated  from  that  of  his  fellows.  Where  so  many  have 
contributed  to  a  nation's  greatness  and  a  nation's  glory,  it  is 
difficult  to  mete  out  to  each  actor  his  proportionate  share  of 
credit  for  what  it  is  or  blame  for  what  it  is  not;  but  the 
statutes  of  this  country  and  the  personal  observation  of 
many  members  of  this  body  show  that  our  friend  and  fellow- 
legislator  played  no  unimportant  part  in  the  accomplish 
ment  of  much  that  was  and  is  good.  His  eloquent  voice 
was  heard  and  his  personal  vote  and  general  influence  were 
cast  for  what  he  believed  to  be  the  greatest  good  of  his 
people  and  his  country.  Along  the  stream  of  his  life  work 
lie  no  stupendous  cataracts  whose  reverberations  tell  the 
world  he  lived;  but  the  current  of  his  influence  moved 
quietly  and  steadily  on  toward  the  achievement  of  his  aim — 
the  ocean  of  his  country's  glory  and  greatness. 

Let  us  honor  our  dead  by  imitating  his  fidelity  to  trust 
and  his  chivalry  of  soul.  Let  us  utilize  his  life  even  in  his 
death  by  drawing  from  it  lessons  that  may  ennoble  our  own 
lives.  Duty  above  selfishness,  the  use  for  the  public  good 
of  the  opportunities  given  us  by  the  voice  of  the  people — 
let  these  be  our  aims.  And  in  the  execution  of  these  high 


32  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

aims  may  we  find  in  our  entire  consecration  to  public  duty 
the  surest  safeguard  against  the  temptations  that  beset  him 
and  us,  and  as  a  result  of  this  consecration  may  we  secure 
the  highest  reward  attainable  for  duty  well  performed — the 
approbation  of  conscience  and  the  deserved  applause  of  the 
people  we  are  here  to  represent. 


Address  of  Mr.  Bell  of  Texas.  33 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  BELL. 

Mr.  BELL,  of  Texas.  Mr.  Speaker,  we  to-day  pay  tribute 
to  the  memory  of  one  who  has  been  called  from  among  us 
in  the  full  vigor  of  matured  manhood,  and  who  it  might 
reasonably  have  been  expected  would  have  been  spared  to 
his  family,  his  friends,  and  his  country  for  many  years. 
He  had  already  accomplished  much,  but  apparently  he  had 
barely  reached  the  beginning  of  th.e  broader  career  of  use 
fulness  and  honor  for  which  he  seemed  destined  and  for 
which  he  was  so  well  fitted. 

The  beginning  of  my  personal  acquaintance  with  Mr. 
WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN  was  of  recent  date,  but  I  had  long 
known  of  him  as  one  of  the  gifted  sons  of  his  native  State, 
upon  which  he  reflected  so  much  credit,  whom  all  delighted 
to  honor,  and  in  whose  well-earned  triumphs  we  took  a 
just  pride. 

At  an  age  at  which  most  lawyers  are  regarded  as  mere 
tyros  in  the  profession,  Mr.  GRAIN  became  the  prosecuting 
attorney  of  his  district,  and  by  his  courteous  demeanor,  his 
fair  and  honorable  conduct,  and  the  vigorous  and  eminently 
successful  manner  in  which  he  discharged  the  duties  incum 
bent  upon  him,  he  established  himself  in  the  confidence  and 
esteem  and  gained  a  hold  upon  the  affection  of  the  people  of 
his  section  of  the  State  which  was  never  impaired. 

As  a  State  senator,  he  soon  became  widely  known  as  a 
man  of  dauntless  courage,  of  tireless  energy,  of  unquestion 
able  integrity,  of  excellent  judgment,  and  as  the  most  elo 
quent  speaker  and  readiest  debater  among  the  young  leaders 
who  were  then  forging  to  the  front;  and  it  was  not  strange 
that  the  members  of  his  political  party,  which  had  suffered 

H.  Doc.  429 3 


34  /,{/£  and  Character  of  William  H,  Grain. 

defeat  in  his  Congressional  district  at  the  previous  election, 
should  have  turned  instinctively  to  him  as  the  one  person 
to  bear  their  banner,  and  to  whom  they  were  willing  to 
intrust  the  task  of  restoring  their  supremacy.  He  was 
nominated  without  opposition  as  the  candidate  of  his  party, 
and  was  triumphantly  elected  a  member  of  the  Forty-ninth 
Congress  and  of  each  succeeding  one. 

Of  his  work  here,  much  has  been  and  more  might  be  said. 
The  courtly  manners  and  chivalrous  courtesy  which  had 
characterized  him  in  all  the  walks  of  life,  the  felicity  with 
which  he  could  express  himself  in  debate,  his  pleasing 
address  and  happy  faculty  of  forming  acquaintances  and 
making  friends,  soon  caused  Mr.  GRAIN  to  become  one  of 
the  best  and  most  favorably  known  members  of  this  body. 

Why  he  should  have  been  called  away  in  the  very  prime 
of  life,  we  can  not  understand.  We  can  only  deplore  his 
loss  and  extend  to  his  bereaved  wife  and  fatherless  children 
our  sympathy.  While  we  realize  that  no  words  of  ours 
can 

Soothe  the  dull,  cold  ear  of  death, 

it  will  be  some  consolation  to  them  to  know  that  others 
share  their  sorrow;  that  others  who  knew  him  far  from 
home  and  kindred  had  learned  to  love  him,  and  that  they 
cherish  his  memory. 

To  us,  the  comrades  in  his  labors,  his  sudden  and  unex 
pected  death  should  teach  a  solemn  lesson.  We  are 
reminded  that  we,  too,  must  respond  to  the  summons  to 
join  the  innumerable  caravan,  and  that  we  should  prepare 
for  a  higher,  nobler,  better,  and  eternal  life. 


Address  of  Mr.  Eddy  of  Minnesota.  35 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  EDDY. 

Mr.  EDDY.  Mr.  Speaker,  "In  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in 
death."  The  truth  of  the  quotation  just  uttered  was  never 
more  strikingly  illustrated  than  in  the  fate  of  the  man  to 
whose  memory  we  to-day  do  honor. 

One  day  standing  on  the  floor  of  this  House  in  the  full 
flush  of  vigorous  manhood,  his  voice  ringing  forth  like  a 
clarion  in  proclamation  of  what  he  believed  was  right,  jus 
tice,  and  for  the  best  interests  of  humanity,  the  next  report 
was  inwafted  upon  the  unwilling  ears  of  his  associates  here 
that  he  was  in  the  grasp  of  fell  disease,  and  yet  the  next 
and  the  black,  somber  draping  of  his  accustomed  seat,  sur 
mounted  by  a  white  wreath  of  flowerets,  symbolical  of  hope, 
proclaimed  to  us  in  language  impressively  eloquent  by  its 
very  silence  that  the  stalwart  frame  was  cold  in  death,  that 
the  eloquent  voice  was  for  aye  hushed,  and  that  the  immor 
tal  spirit  of  WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN  had  passed  from  the 
brief  here  into  the  never-ending  hereafter,  and  that  as  a 
fellow-mortal  in  earthly  avocation  we  should  meet  and 
greet  him  no  more  forever. 

The  story  of  his  life's  vicissitudes  is  eventful  and  inter 
esting,  but  I  leave  its  recital  to  those  who  were  more  inti 
mately  associated  with  him  in  his  career  than  I. 

He  was  a  leader  among  men,  but  the  task  of  describing 
his  great  qualities  of  leadership  I  leave  to  those  who  have 
followed  where  he  led  in  the  great  battle  of  politics. 

He  was  an  orator  bounteously  endowed  by  nature  with 
matchless  powers  of  eloquence,  ripened  almost  into  perfec 
tion  by  years  of  training  and  experience  in  public  life,  but 


36  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Crain. 

to  those  who  have  many  times  and  often  listened  to  his 
ringing  sentences  I  leave  the  task  of  describing  his  wonder 
ful  abilities  and  powers  as  an  orator. 

Mr.  GRAIN  was  to  me  a  stranger.  In  the  brief  time  we 
were  associates  on  the  floor  of  this  House  I  never  had  the 
honor  of  addressing  to  him  a  single  word  in  conversation 
or  of  grasping  his  hand  in  an  introductory  clasp. 

But  scenes  and  pictures  oftentimes  appear  upon  the  pan 
orama  of  passing  events  that  enable  a  stranger  instantane 
ously  to  judge  the  character  of  a  fellow-stranger  in  certain 
lines  better,  far  better  and  more  accurately,  than  a  lifetime 
of  intimate  acquaintance  would  enable  him  to  judge,  and 
such  an  opportunity  was  afforded  me  to  so  judge  him. 

The  only  public  utterance  that  I  ever  heard  Mr.  CRANE 
make  was  when  he  stood  up  in  his  place  and  painted  such 
a  vivid  word  picture  of  battle  that  we  could  hear  the  rattle 
of  the  drum,  the  blare  of  the  trumpet,  the  shrill  notes  of 
the  bugle,  and  the  scream  of  the  fife  cheering  men  on  to 
carnage,  and  the  deep  resonant  tones  of  commanding  officers 
as  they  urged  their  men  to  stand  firm. 

So  vivid  was  the  picture  that  we  could  see  long  lines  of 
infantry  marching  and  countermarching;  could  see  the 
smoke  of  their  muskets  and  hear  the  whistle  of  bullets  as 
they  sped  on  their  mission  of  death.  We  could  see  batteries 
of  artillery  galloping  into  position  with  almost  automatic 
precision,  could  hear  the  reverberating  roar  of  the  pieces  as 
they  belched  forth  their  awful  missiles  of  annihilation,  hear 
the  rattle  of  grape  and  canister,  the  crash  of  solid  shot,  and 
the  wild  shriek  of  the  shell.  Spellbound  by  his  magic  elo 
quence,  we  saw  the  charging  squadrons  of  horsemen  meet 
in  battle  shock,  and  could  hear  the  very  clash  of  steel  as 
saber  clanked  against  saber  in  the  terrible  music  of  death. 


Address  of  Mr.  Eddy  of  Minnesota.  37 

Then,  with  the  hand  of  a  master,  he  shifted  the  scenes, 
and  we  beheld  with  horror  the  awful  ravages  of  war,  after 
deadly  battle,  where  Americans  had  met  Americans  on  the 
red  field  of  conflict  in  fratricidal  strife,  and  by  the  pale  moon 
light,  so  vivid  was  the  description,  we  could  see  rows  upon 
rows  of  dead  warriors  and  thousands  of  shot-torn,  saber- 
slashed,  mangled,  and  wounded  fellow-men  lying  on  the 
carnage-swept  field. 

Then  his  voice  sank  into  the  pathos  of  inexpressible  ten 
derness  as  he  described,  with  such  startling  reality  that 
before  our  eyes  we  could  see  them  there,  the  black-robed 
Sisters,  ministering  angels  of  the  Church  he  loved  so  well, 
flitting  to  and  fro  among  the  stricken  ones,  closing  the  eyes 
of  the  dead,  moistening  the  lips  of  the  dying,  and  band 
aging  the  torn  and  mangled  with  women's  tender  fingers — 
black-robed  Sisters,  with  vision  keen  as  eagle's  to  discover 
suffering,  but  with  eyes  so  stricken  with  the  color-blindness 
of  heavenly  charity  that  they  were  utterly  unable  to  discover 
whether  the  recipients  of  their  kindly  ministrations  wore 
the  gray  of  the  Confederacy  or  the  blue  of  the  Union. 

And  when  he  closed  with  splendid  peroration,  the  curtains 
of  his  secret  soul  were  rolled  away,  and  a  grand  and  noble 
trait  of  character  stood  revealed  in  Mr.  GRAIN,  the  most 
godlike  trait  that  mortal  man  can  possess — a  deep  and  abid 
ing  love  for  his  fellow-man  and  a  boundless  sympathy  for 
oppressed  humanity. 

And  when  the  funeral  train  bearing  all  that  was  mortal 
of  the  Congressman,  speeding  southward,  reached  the 
borders  of  his  native  State,  evidences  of  his  love  and  sym 
pathy  for  his  fellow-man  multiplied — for  love  and  sympathy 
always  beget  love  and  sympathy  in  return — and  the  uncov 
ered  crowds  that  watched  the  cortege  pass  by  bore  upon 


38  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

their  faces  that  wan  and  disconsolate  expression  that  one 
sees  upon  the  faces  of  those  who  stand  by  the  grave  of  a 
friend. 

When  we  reached  the  beautiful  city  of  Cuero,  his  home 
for  many  years,  the  throng  of  people  that  so  sadly  awaited 
our  arrival  bore  upon  their  faces  that  look  of  sad  and  deso 
late  loneliness  that  one  sees  upon  the  faces  of  those  who 
have  lost  one  dearer  than  a  friend. 

Loving  hands  bore  him  from  the  funeral  train  to  his 
modest  residence,  and  there  in  state  he  lay ;  and  multitudes 
of  people — white,  black,  rich,  poor,  of  all  conditions  of  life, 
old  men  and  women  tottering  on  staves,  men  and  women  in 
life's  autumn  time,  husbands  and  wives  in  the  full  vigor  of 
noontide  existence,  youths  and  maidens,  little  children  led 
by  the  hand — came  to  look  once  more  and  for  the  last  time 
upon  the  features  of  him  they  had  loved  and  honored.  No 
idle  motive  of  curiosity  prompted  them  thus  to  come. 
Grief — deep,  all-pervading  grief — was  the  impelling  force 
that  moved  them  to  look  again  upon  him  they  loved  so 
well  in  life.  Sorrow,  heartfelt  sorrow,  was  everywhere 
manifest,  and  the  tears  of  those  who  knew  him  longest  and 
knew  him  best  that  that  day  fell  upon  his  casket  constituted 
a  eulogy  more  eloquent  than  mortal  lips  can  utter. 

As  I  gazed  upon  the  sorrow-stricken  features  of  those 
who  stood  around  his  bier  the  beautiful  poem  of  Leigh 
Hunt  came  to  my  mind: 

Abou  Ben  Adhem    (may  his  tribe  increase  !) 
Awoke  one  night  from  a  deep  dream  of  peace, 
And  saw  within  the  moonlight  of  his  room, 
Making  it  rich,  and  like  a  lilly  in  bloom, 
An  angel  writing  in  a  book  of  gold. 
Exceeding  peace  had  made  Ben  Adhem  bold, 
And  to  the  presence  in  the  room  he  said : 
"  What  writest  thou?  "     The  vision  raised  its  head, 


Address  of  Mr.  Eddy  of  Minnesota.  39 

And  with  a  look  made  all  of  sweet  accord, 

Answered    "The  names  of  those  who  love  the  Lord." 

' '  And  is  mine  one  ? ' '  asked  Abou.     ' '  Nay,  not  so, " 

Replied  the  angel.     Abou  spoke  more  low, 

But  cheerily  still,  and  said  :   "I  pray  thee,  then, 

Write  me  as  one  who  loves  his  fellow-men." 

The  angel  wrote  and  vanished.     The  next  night 

It  came  again  with  a  great  wakening  light 

And  showed  the  names  of  those  whom  love  of  God  had  blest, 

And  lo  !  Ben  Adhem's  name  led  all  the  rest. 

I  would  not  have  you  think  that  Mr.  GRAIN  was  a  perfect 
man.  No  doubt  he  had  failings  many,  for  he  was  mortal ; 
no  doubt  he  had  faults  numerous,  for  he  was,  like  us,  human. 
But  when  I  saw  the  fond  remembrance  in  which  he  was 
held  by  friends  and  neighbors,  I  doubted  not  but  that  in 
God's  great  ledger,  the  only  account  book  where  mistakes 
are  never  made  and  where  errors  never  creep  in,  over 
against  the  name  of  WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN,  written  in 

C5 

letters  of  brightest  gold,  were  the  words:  "He  loved  his 
fellow-men." 

After  brief  but  impressive  services  in  the  church  where, 
with  wife  and  loved  ones,  he  oft  had  worshiped,  he  was 
borne,  sadly  borne,  to  burial.  Deep  in  the  bosom  of  his 
much-loved  State  they  laid  him  down  to  rest  and  to  await 
the  Archangel's  summons.  Peace,  peace  to  his  ashes. 

No  stately  column  need  be  raised  to  perpetuate  his  mem 
ory  among  the  sons  of  Texas  or  their  descendants.  In  the 
hearts  of  Texans  he  has  left  a  monument  much  more  last 
ing  than  marble  tomb  or  time-enduring  granite  shaft. 


4O  Life  and  Character  of  William  //.  Crain. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  MCDEARMON, 

Mr.  MCDEARMON.  Mr.  Speaker,  it  was  not  my  privilege 
to  enjoy  an  intimate  social  acquaintance  with  the  distin 
guished  gentleman  whose  life  and  character  we  are  consid 
ering.  I  had  the  honor  to  serve  with  him  in  the  Fifty-third 
Congress  and  until  his  death  in  this,  but  my  personal  asso 
ciations  with  him  did  not  extend  beyond  a  passing  acquaint 
ance  and  a  few  casual  conversations.  I  was,  however, 
attracted  by  his  courtly  bearing,  knightly  courtesy,  and 
distinguished  mien  upon  my  first  entrance  into  this  body 
as  a  member,  and  I  soon  discovered  that  he  was  one  of  the 
leading  spirits  of  the  exceptionally  able  body  of  men,  as  a 
whole,  who  composed  the  membership  of  this  House  in 
the  Fifty-third  Congress.  His  commanding  appearance, 
melodious  voice,  polished  manner,  vigorous  and  impas 
sioned  but  faultlessly  classical  language,  his  clear,  logical, 
and  forceful  arguments,  always  commanded  the  closest 
attention  of  the  House,  challenging  the  respect  of  his 
political  opponents,  the  delight  and  pride  of  his  friends, 
and  the  admiration  and  applause  of  all.  WILLIAM  H. 
GRAIN  was,  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word,  an  orator.  He 
possessed  a  vivid  and  towering  imagination.  His  mind 
had  been  well  trained  in  his  early  youth,  and  when  I  first 
knew  him  it  had  become  richly  laden  with  varied  and  valu 
able  information.  He  had  drunk  deep  at  the  fountain  of 
knowledge  and  was  endowed  with  its  rarest  fruits.  His 
ability  to  clothe  the  most  commonplace  thoughts  in  the 
choicest  rhetoric  was  striking  and  remarkable.  His  long 


Address  of  Mr.  McDearmnn  of  Tennessee.  41 

experience  as  a  member  of  this  body  and  his  familiarity 
with  public  affairs,  coupled  with  his  general  information, 
enabled  him  to  bear  a  leading  and  honorable  part  in  all  of 
the  great  discussions  which  made  the  Fifty-third  Congress 
memorable. 

He  never  failed  to  illumine  any  subject  which  he  debated 
or  to  instruct  and  enlighten  his  hearers  with  his  incisive 
and  lucid  arguments  or  to  entrance  them  with  his  matchless 
eloquence.  While  my  social  intercourse  with  him  was 
imited,  as  I  have  stated,  yet  I  recall  several  little  incidents 
with  which  he  was  connected  which  gave  me  an  insight 
into  his  character,  which,  together  with  what  I  have  learned 
about  him  since  his  death,  convinces  me  that  he  was  a  man 
of  the  most  scrupulous  integrity  and  chivalric  honor,  and 
that  his  lofty  soul  was  incapable  of  a  low  thought  or  an 
ignoble  act.  He  impressed  me  as  being  a  man  of  superb 
moral  and  physical  courage;  a  high-spirited,  cultured,  dig 
nified,  and  accomplished  gentleman  in  every  sense  of  that 
too  often  abused  term. 

When  the  proceedings  of  this  House  were  interrupted 
last  February  by  the  solemn  and  startling  announcement 
that  WILLIAM  H.  GRAIN,  who  had  so  recently  been  an 
active  and  prominent  participant  in  the  discussion  of  the 
grave  questions  which  then  engaged  our  attention,  was  dead, 
that  he  had  been  suddenly  cut  down  in  the  prime  of  his 
splendid  manhood,  had  journeyed  to  that  "undiscovered 
country  from  whose  bourn  no  traveler  returns,"  we  had 
another  and  a  deeply  impressive  reminder  and  admonition 
that  we  are  all  sojourners  here,  and  that  sooner  or  later  we 
too  must  lay  down  our  life's  work,  whether  finished  or 
unfinished,  perchance  as  abruptly  and  unexpectedly  as 
did  he. 


42  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

I  was  unusually  shocked  by  the  announcement  of  Mr. 
GRAIN'S  death,  and  was  very  soon  thereafter  designated  as 
one  of  the  committee  appointed  by  the  Chair  to  escort  his 
remains  to  his  far-off  home  in  southern  Texas. 

Our  long,  sad  journey  on  the  funeral  train,,  deeply 
draped  in  the  gloomy  habiliments  of  death,  in  its  rapid 
flight  through  the  great  Commonwealths  of  Old  Virginia, 
the  two  Carolinas,  Georgia,  Alabama,  Louisiana,  and  Texas, 
ever  and  anon  flitting  past  historic  spots,  where  in  the  not 
long  ago  great  armies  of  Americans  contended  in  bloody 
strife  with  brother  Americans;  the  lamentations  of  the 
stricken  widow  and  orphans;  the  sweetly  solemn  and  pecul 
iarly  impressive  ceremonies  and  sermon  by  the  Catholic 
clergy  in  the  church  where  he  was  accustomed  to  worship, 
and  by  the  open  grave  on  the  hillside  where  we  left  our 
brother  asleep,  all  conspired  to  awaken  in  my  mind  the 
deepest  emotions  of  sympathy  for  those  who  wept,  and  to 
lead  me  to  contemplate  the  life  and  character  of  him  whose 
remains  it  became  my  sad  duty  to  help  to  bury.  The  many 
noble  traits  of  character  and  manly  attributes  which  char 
acterized  our  departed  brother  have  been  lovingly  described 
and  eloquently  portrayed  by  his  distinguished  colleagues, 
whose  good  fortune  it  was  to  know  him  as  a  companion 
and  to  love  him  as  a  friend.  His  brilliant  achievements  as 
a  statesman  and  valuable  public  services  to  his  State  and  to 
the  nation  during  his  long  and  honorable  career  as  a  mem 
ber  of  this  House  have  been  graphically  and  faithfully 
recounted  by  those  who  served  with  him  from  his  advent 
into  public  life,  and  who  witnessed  his  labors  and  rejoiced 
at  his  glorious  triumphs. 

But  his  votes  and  public  utterances  are  transcribed  in  the 
imperishable  archives  of  the  several  Congresses  in  whose 


Address  of  Mr.  McDcarmon  of  Tennessee.  43 

proceedings  he  took  part.  They  belong  to  his  country  and 
are  a  part  of  its  heritage,  and  will  be  interwoven  into  its 
glorious  history.  In  all  the  important  measures  which 
have  engaged  the  attention  of  Congress  during  the  last 
twelve  years,  many  of  which  have  materially  affected  the 
welfare  and  destiny  of  our  country,  his  influence  has  been 
felt  and  his  voice  has  been  heard  in  advocacy  of  the  right 
and  in  condemnation  of  the  wrong.  I  doubt  whether  the 
speeches  of  any  other  of  the  many  able  and  eloquent  states 
men  whose  footprints  are  interspersed  through  the  volumes 
of  the  Congressional  Record  will,  in  beauty  and  purity  of 
diction,  rhetorical  graces  and  polish,  together  with  vigorous 
arguments  and  sound  logic,  surpass  those  of  Mr.  CRAIX. 
Generations  that  are  to  follow  will  take  our  places  when 
we  are  gone  and  will  pass  impartial  judgment  upon  his 
actions  and  ours  by  the  transcript  of  our  spoken  words  and 
registered  votes  as  we  leave  them  upon  record. 

Air.  GRAIN  has  had  his  entrance  and  his  exit.  His  gentle 
spirit,  which  made  others  happier  by  its  charming  influence, 
came  upon  earth,  dwelt  among  men  for  a  brief  season,  and 
departed  as  mysteriously  as  it  came.  The  light  of  his 
genius  dazzled  and  bewitched  us  during  his  sojourn,  and 
when  it  was  extinguished,  the  world  seemed  darker  for  a 
time. 

He  was  fondly  loved  by  those  who  knew  him  intimately. 
Throngs  of  his  constituents  and  friends  from  far  and  near, 
including  the  governor  of  the  State  and  his  staff,  came  on 
special  trains  to  testify  of  their  grief  and  to  mourn  at  the 
grave  of  their  friend  and  leader.  The  entire  population  of 
his  home,  the  beautiful  and  picturesque  city  of  Cuero,  paid 
affectionate  tribute  to  his  memory  by  attending  en  masse 
his  funeral,  while  many  tears  and  sobs  testified  that  true 


44  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

hearts  sincerely  mourned  the  death  of  one  they  fondly  loved. 
I  feel,  Mr.  Speaker,  that  this  House  has  lost  a  valuable  and 
able  member,  the  country  a  loyal  and  patriotic  citizen,  and 
the  world  a  noble  man  by  the  death  of  WILLIAM  H.  CRAIX. 
I  reverently  offer  this  poor  tribute  to  his  memory.  Peace 
to  his  ashes. 


Address  of  Mr.  Milnes  of  Michigan.  45 


ADDRESS  OF  MR,  MILNES. 

Mr.  MILNES.  Mr.  Speaker,  it  became  my  sad  duty,  by  your 
appointment,  to  accompany  the  remains  of  the  Honorable 
WILLIAM  H.  CRAIX  to  their  last  resting  place,  to  his  home 
in  Texas,  there  to  be  given  a  Christian  burial  among  his 
relatives  and  friends,  and  I  have  now  been  asked  to  submit 
a  few  remarks  in  respect  to  his  memory.  It  was  not  my 
pleasure  to  be  intimately  acquainted  with  our  deceased 
brother.  In  fact,  I  never  had  the  pleasure  of  being  for 
mally  introduced  to  him,  and  therefore  can  not  say  as 
much  of  his  personality,  as  can  those  who  knew  him  well 
and  were  his  associates  in  his  long  and  honorable  career  in 
this  body. 

That  he  was  a  man  of  great  learning  and  ability,  ever 
ready  to  serve  his  constituents  and  fight  manfully  for  their 
rights,  is  fully  evidenced  by  the  official  records  of  this 
House.  That  his  services  were  duly  appreciated  by  his 
constituents  his  return  to  Congress  for  so  many  consecutive 
terms  fully  testifies. 

One  of  the  best  things  that  can  be  said  of  any  man  is 
that  those  who  knew  him  best — those  among  whom  he  was 
born  and  grew  up  to  manhood,  those  among  whom  and 
with  whom  he  has  spent  his  whole  life — loved  him,  honored 
him,  and  believed  him  worthy  of  every  confidence  and 
trust.  And  this  was  emphatically  the  case  with  him  whose 
memory  we  commemorate  to-day. 

Mr.  GRAIN  was  a  native  of  the  great  State  of  Texas.  He 
grew  up  on  its  mighty  plains,  in  its  genial  climate,  and 
among  the  liberty-loving  and  generous  people  of  that  great 


46  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Crain. 

State,  beloved  and  honored  by  all  its  people.  It  was  they 
who  recognized  his  worth  and  ability;  it  was  they  who 
elected  him  district  attorney  while  yet  a  very  young  man. 
It  was  his  neighbors  and  friends  who  sent  him  to  represent 
them  in  the  senate  of  his  native  State  at  the  age  of  28 
years.  It  was  those  who  knew  him  and  appreciated  his 
great  learning  and  ability  who  sent  him  to  represent  them 
in  this  Hall  during  the  Forty-ninth  Congress  and  returned 
him  at  every  Congressional  election  thereafter  up  to  the 
present.  No  man  served  his  constituency  more  loyally  than 
he.  No  man  in  either  House  of  Congress  was  more  beloved 
than  he  who  has  gone  to  his  last  resting  place. 

That  he  had  his  faults,  no  one  will  attempt  to  deny;  but 
who  has  not  faults?  That  he  had  many  virtues,  all  who 
knew  him  bear  testimony. 

During  our  long  journey  through  the  sunny  Southland, 
and  especially  when  we  reached  his  native  State  and  Con 
gressional  district,  the  people  gathered  in  vast  multitudes, 
regardless  of  party  or  sect,  to  view  the  funeral  train  and  to 
show  respect  to  the  remains  of  their  Representative  and 
friend.  Thousands  of  people  all  along  the  route  through 
Texas  at  every  station  stood  with  uncovered  heads  to  pay 
the  last  sad  tribute  of  regard  to  our  departed  friend  and 
brother. 

When  the  funeral  train  arrived  at  Cuero,  the  beautiful 
little  city  where  for  so  many  years  he  had  resided  with  his 
interesting  family,  every  business  house  was  closed,  and  the 
people  turned  out  en  masse  to  receive  the  mortal  remains 
of  their  neighbor  and  friend.  It  was,  indeed,  a  sad  home 
coming.  It  was  a  great  and  sad  bereavement  to  his  stricken 
family.  But  the  high  respect  and  love  borne  for  him  by 
those  who  knew  him  best  were  shown  on  every  hand. 


Address  of  Mr.  Milucs  of  Michigan.  47 

His  funeral  was  largely  attended,  not  only  by  the  people 
of  his  Congressional  district,  but  by  prominent  men  through 
out  the  State.  The  governor  of  Texas,  together  with  his 
staff,  came  to  pay  their  last  respects. 

The  Catholic  bishop  of  the  diocese  and  other  clergy  came 
to  assist  at  his  funeral  and  to  give  words  of  consolation  and 
cheer  to  his  bereaved  family,  and  thousands  of  men  and 
women,  representing  all  classes  of  people,  stood  around  the 
open  grave  and  dropped  a  silent  tear  to  his  memory. 

Nothing  we  can  say  or  do  here  to-day  will  add  to  or  take 
from  the  record  he  made  for  himself  and  his  country  during 
that  long  period  in  which  he  was  in  its  service.  We  can 
only  pay  our  last  tribute  to  his  memory. 

He  has  gone  to  that  home  beyond  the  great  river,  and 
where  in  the  course  of  nature  we,  too,  will  soon  follow  him. 

Let  us  remember  all  that  was  good  and  true  in  his  nature, 
and  forget  those  frailties  and  shortcomings  which  univer 
sally  afflict  mankind,  and  from  which  none  of  us  escape. 

Farewell,  our  brother!  Sleep  peacefully  beneath  thy 
native  sod.  Sleep  on  until  that  great  day  when  all  who 
sleep  shall  arise  and  be  judged  by  a  righteous  judgment 
by  Him  who  knoweth  our  inmost  motives  and  actions,  and 
who  rewardeth  according  to  merit.  Again,  farewell ! 


48  Life  and  Character  of  William  H,  Crain. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR,  CROWLEY. 

Mr.  CROWLEY.  Mr.  Speaker,  the  custom  prevailing  in 
the  House  of  Representatives,  when  Death  stalks  in  its 
midst  and  carries  away  any  of  its  members,  to  memorialize 
the  life,  character,  and  doings  of  the  dead  is  a  beautiful  one, 
notwithstanding  the  manifest  disposition  of  many  distin 
guished  members  of  this  body  to  abolish  memorial  services. 
I  still  say  it  is  a  beautiful  custom,  and  long  may  it  last! 

The  man  whose  memory  we  honor  to-day  by  this  custom, 
WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Galveston, 
Tex.,  November  25,  1848.  He  was  the  first  native  son  of 
the  Lone  Star  State  who  had  the  distinction  of  representing 
this  great  State  in  Congress,  and  until  this  Congress  the 
only  one.  His  father  dying  in  Galveston,  in  1854  he  was 
sent  to  relatives  residing  in  New  York  City,  who  placed 
him  at  the  Christian  Brothers'  school  until  he  was  14, 
when  he  entered  St.  Francis  Xavier  College,  and  graduated 
from  that  famous  institution  of  learning  July  i,  1867,  being 
valedictorian  of  his  class. 

After  an  absence  of  twelve  years  in  the  North,  young 
GRAIN  returned  to  Texas.  For  two  years  he  lived  on  a 
ranch,  worked  as  a  cowboy,  rode  wild  horses  and  drove 
cattle,  and  performed  all  the  duties  pertaining  to  a  cowboy 
on  a  ranch;  but,  growing  tired  of  that  life,  he  moved  to 
Indianola,  then  a  thriving  city  in  Texas,  and  there  taught 
school.  While  teaching,  he  studied  law  with  Messrs. 
Stockdale  &  Proctor,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and 
licensed  to  practice  in  1871. 

In  July,   1878,  he  married  Miss  Angelina  G.  Mitchell, 


Address  of  Mr.  Crow  ley  of  Texas.  49 

daughter  of  Capt.  I.  N.  Mitchell,  of  Indianola.  The  result 
of  this  union,  living  to-day,  is  six  children,  four  boys  and 
two  girls,  namely :  Frank,  Viva,  William  Henry,  James 
Kerr,  Newton  Mitchell,  and  Mary,  varying  in  age  from 
7  to  21  years. 

In  1872  he  was  elected  district  attorney  of  the  Twenty- 
third  judicial  district  and  served  until  1876.  In  this  posi 
tion  he,  by  his  brilliancy  and  versatility,  soon  attracted 
attention,  making  for  himself  in  this  office  a  splendid  record. 
When  he  entered  on  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  his  office, 
the  country  was  overrun  with  malefactors  of  every  descrip 
tion.  When  he  retired  from  office,  nearly  all  such  characters 
had  left  that  section  of  the  country,  and  law  had  taken  the 
place  of  lawlessness.  Owing  to  the  arduous  duties  attend 
ant  upon  this  position,  and  being  somewhat  shattered  in 
health,  he  refused  a  reelection  to  the  office  of  district  attor 
ney,  but  accepted  a  nomination  by  the  Democratic  party  as 
.State  senator  to  represent  the  Seventh  district,  to  which 
position  he  was  elected  practically  without  opposition.  In 
that  body  he  was  an  active  worker,  taking  high  rank  for 
a  young  man,  and  even  at  that  time  was  looked  upon  as 
one  of  the  coming  men  of  the  State.  Owing  to  change  of 
residence,  he  resigned  after  a  single  session. 

He  then  removed  to  Hallettsville  and  practiced  his  pro 
fession  with  Col.  S.  C.  Patten  for  four  years.  Here  he  was 
successful,  and  soon  built  up  a  large  and  lucrative  practice. 
While  an  active  member  of  the  Democratic  party,  and 
always  useful  and  untiring  in  his  efforts  for  his  ambitious 
friends,  he  was  not  an  aspirant  for  any  office,  but  was  pre 
vailed  upon  on  account  of  his  oratorical  ability  to  serve  as 
an  elector  for  the  State  at  large  on  the  Hancock  ticket 

in  1880. 

H.  Doc.  429 4 


50  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

Prior  to  1882  he  removed  to  Cuero,  Dewitt  County,  which 
under  the  apportionment  of  1881  was  placed  in  the  Seventh 
Congressional  district.  Here  he  formed  a  law  partnership 
with  the  Honorable  Rudolph  Kleberg,  who  was  recently 
elected  to  fill  his  unexpired  term  in  this  Congress.  While 
this  partnership  was  never  dissolved,  it  was  merely  nominal 
after  his  election  to  Congress  in  1884.  He  represented  the 
Seventh  Congressional  district  continuously  until  1892, 
when  a  redistricting  of  the  State  placed  him  in  the  Elev 
enth.  This  last  district  he  represented  since  its  formation. 
He  never  attended  but  one  convention  at  which  he  was  a 
candidate,  notwithstanding  that  at  times  there  was  a  good 
deal  of  opposition.  He  was  elected  to  the  Forty-ninth, 
Fiftieth,  Fifty-first,  Fifty-second,  Fifty-third,  and  Fifty- 
fourth  Congresses.  At  the  expiration  of  this  Congress  it 
was  his  purpose,  had  he  lived,  to  decline  further  service  in 
public  life,  and  so  announced  to  his  constituency  several 
months  prior  to  his  death.  His  most  bitter  enemies  have 
always  accorded  to  him  honesty  of  purpose  and  the  courage 
of  his  convictions. 

He  possessed  the  love  and  confidence  of  his  constituents 
to  a  remarkable  degree,  and  was  a  political  power  in  his 
section  of  the  State.  He  was  an  able  lawyer,  a  forceful 
and  eloquent  speaker,  and  charmed  all  with  his  magnetism 
and  close  reasoning.  He  was  open  and  candid,  and  never 
hesitated  to  express  his  opinion. 

On  the  4th  of  February,  just  six  days  before  his  death, 
he  made  a  beautiful  impromptu  speech — his  last  on  the 
floor  of  this  House — which  was  characteristic  of  the  man,  as 
it  was  an  appeal  for  the  charitable  institutions  of  the  Dis 
trict  of  Columbia.  It  is  a  literary  gem,  equal  to  anything 


Address  of  Mr.  Crow  ley  of  Texas.  51 

I  have  ever  read,  which   I  quote  from  the  Congressional 
Record  : 

Mr.  Chairman,  going  back  thirty  or  thirty-five  years,  a  war 
was  waged  for  the  dissolution  of  this  Union.  Soldiers  innumer 
able  on  both  sides  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line  flocked  to  the 
standards  of  what  they  considered  right.  The  reverberations 
of  cannon  echoed  down  the  valleys  of  Virginia.  Swords  and 
muskets  asserted  their  supremacy.  Brother  fought  against 
brother;  soldier  on  one  side  against  soldier  on  the  other.  As 
the  soldiers  went  down  on  the  side  of  the  Union,  there  came 
upon  the  battlefields  the  white- winged  messengers  of  peace,  robed 
in  the  raiments  of  mercy  and  charity,  and  many  a  parched  tongue 
and  parched  throat  accepted  the  ministrations  of  those  pure, 
beautiful  creatures,  who,  protected  by  soldiers  and  officers,  as 
well  as  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  the  great,  grand, 
and  lamented  Lincoln,  came  and  ministered  to  them.  Was 
there  any  question  then  on  the  part  of  the  gentleman  from 
Nebraska  as  to  granting  those  emissaries  of  mercy  a  commission 
to  fulfill  their  errand  to  those  soldiers  ?  Did  he  then  protest,  or  did 
those  whom  he  now  represents  rise  in  their  might  and  protest 
against  the  charitable  work  of  those  angelic  forms  in  human 
shape  ?  No,  Mr.  Chairman,  not  one  word  of  protest  was  uttered 
then.  Yet  the  representatives  of  the  descendants  of  the  men 
who  were  assisted  by  those  lovely  women  come  here  to-day  and 
protest — in  the  name  of  what?  Infidelity  against  religion  ! 

Mr.  Chairman,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  this  committee  has  put 
on  record  its  vote  in  favor  of  the  appropriation  for  the  National 
Association  for  the  Relief  of  Destitute  Colored  Women  and 
Children  (for  which  I  voted),  in  view  of  the  fact  that  that  is  an 
assertion  on  our  part  that  the  institution  is  not  private  in  its 
character  and  is  nonsectarian,  although  according  to  the  state 
ment  of  the  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Appropriations  it  is 
in  no  wise  different  from  the  one  now  before  us  for  consideration, 
I  fail  to  see  how  our  Republican  brethren  can  vote  against  the 
appropriation. 


** 

Religion 


52  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Crain. 

His  interest  in  the  future  development  of  southwestern 
Texas  is  shown  by  the  following  excerpt  from  a  speech 
delivered  at  Corpus  Christi  on  Tuesday,  March  24,  1891  : 

The  people  of  the  North  and  West  want  to  find  a  more  con 
genial  climate  than  they  now  enjoy  in  their  present  homes. 
They  are  well  aware  that  no  such  climate  and  soil  can  be  found 
anywhere  in  the  world  as  are  found  within  the  confines  of  the 
State  of  Texas.  Deep  water  in  itself  would  not  build  up  and 
develop  this  country.  We  had  a  Northern  invasion  many  years 
ago,  and  our  fathers,  sons,  and  brothers  bared  their  breasts  to 
repel  the  invaders.  But  that  era  has  happily  passed,  and  times 
have  changed.  We  want  another  Northern  invasion,  and  we 
will  receive  the  invaders  with  open  arms  and  shouts  of  joy.  We 
want  them  to  come  with  their  wives,  families,  and  kinfolk. 
We  want  them  to  come  and  stay  with  us — be  one  of  us — and 
help  develop  the  resources  of  the  country. 

The  population  of  Texas  has  nearly  doubled  in  the  last  decade, 
and  it  can  go  on  and  double  for  the  next  decade  and  the  next 
and  the  next,  and  still  there  will  be  room  for  more  industrious 
settlers  in  this  grand  empire.  All  these  settlers  will  contribute 
to  the  wealth  and  upbuilding  of  the  country,  and  will  furnish 
export  cargoes  for  the  ships  of  the  world  that  will  enter  our 
deep-water  ports  a  few  years  hence.  Without  these  settlers 
Texas  would  not  derive  any  great  benefit  to  the  State  at  large 
from  deep  water.  It  is  the  back  country  after  all  that  makes 
great  cities,  and  it  is  the  grand  back  country  of  the  whole  Union 
that  has  created  and  maintained  the  large  commercial  cities 
along  the  Atlantic  seaboard.  Without  the  back  country  these 
cities  could  not  have  been  created  or  maintained.  We  want  the 
hardy  young  blood  of  the  North  and  Northwest  planted  in  the 
virgin  soil  of  Texas,  and  we  want  lots  of  it.  Give  us  half  a 
million  industrious  farmers,  mechanics,  and  artisans  in  the  next 
few  years  and  southwest  Texas  will  leap  forward  with  a  bound 
that  will  astonish  the  world.  They  are  surely  coming,  and  you 
should  welcome  them  and  bid  them  join  hands  with  you  and 
lend  nature  a  helping  hand.  Cut  up  your  pastures  into  small 
tracts,  sell  them  to  the  man  with  the  hoe,  and  prosperity  will 


Address  of  Mr.  Crow  ley  of  Texas.  53 

follow  in  his  tracks.  He  will  have  to  exchange  the  products 
of  the  soil  for  merchandise  brought  hither  by  rail  and  water. 
He  wrill  raise  a  family,  and  every  member  will  be  both  a  partner 
and  a  consumer,  and  the  wealth  of  the  country  will  be  increased 
proportionately . 

Mr.  GRAIN  was  a  ripe  scholar,  and  shortly  before  his 
death  was  paid  a  compliment  by  that  eminent  educationist 
and  great  scholar,  Dr.  William  Everett,  of  Massachusetts,  in 
reply  to  a  communication  from  a  gentleman  in  this  city, 
who  wrote  to  know  if  Dr.  Everett  had  been  correctly  quoted 
in  expressing  his  appreciation  of  the  former's  ability  to 
handle  his  mother  tongue.  This  was  the  reply: 

QUINCY,  MASS.,  December  26,  1893. 

MY  DEAR  SIR:  You  were  not  misinformed.  My  seat  was 
very  near  Mr.  GRAIN'S,  and  I  had  constant  opportunities  to 
hear  him,  both  in  conversation  and  debate.  His  English  was 
simply  faultless,  copious,  correct,  natural,  without  a  trace  of  vul 
garity,  provincialism,  or  pedantry,  the  language  of  a  cultivated 
gentleman,  who  respected  his  mother  tongue  as  well  as  master 
ing  it.  I  avoid  comparisons,  but  it  was  a  delight  to  me  to  hear 
anyone  talk  whose  language  would  satisfy  every  community  and 
every  person  whereof  English  is  the  native  speech. 
Yours,  very  truly, 

WILLIAM  'EVERETT. 

EDWARD  SMITH,  Esq. 

The  admiration  which  Mr.  GRAIN  had  won  in  early  life 
as  an  entertaining  and  amiable  companion  in  private  society 
increased  with  his  years.  Those  who  knew  him  not  within 
the  circle  of  friendship  knew  him  only  by  halves.  He  was 
always  what  he  appeared,  the  scholar  and  the  gentleman, 
the  entertaining  and  instructive  companion;  polite,  yet 
friendly;  social,  yet  respectful.  In  his  friendships  he  was 
strong,  firm,  and  unalterable.  He  had  great  benevolence, 
enlarged  ideas  of  philanthropy,  and  no  tongue  or  pen  can 


54  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Crain. 

do  him  more  justice  than  his  own  kind  deeds  for  men, 
women,  and  children,  and  those  deeds  are  usually  outdone 
by  the  doing. 

He  was  at  his  post  of  duty  when  suddenly  taken  ill  on 
Thursday  afternoon,  February  6,  suffering  severely  from  a 
cold  contracted  at  the  Southern  Relief  Society  ball  on  the 
night  of  February  4,  and  died  of  pneumonia  on  the  Mon 
day  following,  in  the  meridian  of  a  most  useful  life.  His 
death  was  a  shock  to  the  House,  to  his  constituency,  and  to 
me  a  personal  bereavement. 

Mr.  GRAIN  was  not  unmindful  of  his  end,  yet  seemed  not 
to  dread  it,  but  patiently  and  placidly  waited  the  hour 
appointed  to  all  living,  and  as  the  dawn  was  breaking  he 
peacefully  passed  to  eternal  rest.  Thus  died  WILLIAM 
HENRY  GRAIN,  on  Monday,  February  10,  1896.  On  the 
same  night  the  committee  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress 
with  the  remains  of  the  great  Texas  statesman  started  on 
the  long  sad  journey  to  his  far-distant  home. 

From  Houston  his  venerable  and  sorrow-stricken  mother, 
with  delegations  of  his  friends  and  constituents  from  the 
surrounding  country,  accompanied  the  body  to  his  home 
and  family.  As  the  draped  car  passed  through  the  towns 
of  the  district  he  loved  so  well,  sorrow  was  plainly  seen 
upon  the  faces  of  the  people,  for  the  voice  of  their  eloquent 
and  chivalrous  Representative  was  now  hushed  forever. 

He  was  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Cuero,  his  home.  The 
sun  shone  bright  and  clear  on  that  day,  but  it  brought  no 
delight  to  the  eyes,  no  cheer  to  the  hearts,  of  his  friends. 
Flags  hung  from  every  pole  at  half-mast,  business  was  sus 
pended,  and  the  schools  were  closed  to  enable  the  children 
of  his  home  to  look  for  the  last  time  upon  his  intellectual 
face  and  to  witness  the  commitment  to  Mother  Earth  of  the 


Address  of  Mr.  Crowley  of  Texas.  55 

body  of  this  noble  son  of  Texas.  Tributes  were  offered  and 
resolutions  were  adopted  throughout  the  State  expressive 
of  the  sorrow  of  the  people.  Courts  were  adjourned,  and 
respect  was  paid  to  his  memory  by  bench,  bar,  and  press. 

Judge  Robert  B.  Green,  a  distinguished  jurist  of  San 
Antonio,  Tex. ,  said  ; 

I  unhesitatingly  say  that  I  believe  he  is  the  most  brilliant 
man  Texas  ever  sent  to  Washington.  I  know  of  no  man  upon 
whom  nature  bestowed  more  of  her  gifts,  and  in  an  intimate 
acquaintance  with  him  I  never  knew  him  to  exercise  any  of  his 
great  gifts  except  for  the  good  of  his  fellow-men.  He  was  very 
strong  as  an  advocate,  and  particularly  strong  in  legislative  and 
parliamentary  bodies.  His  personal  magnetism,  coupled  with 
great  abilities,  made  him  a  most  useful  member  of  Congress,  and 
he  was  of  especial  value  to  our  section  of  the  State.  He 
accomplished  and  was  instrumental  in  accomplishing  many 
works  that  tend  to  the  material  progress  of  our  State,  and  upon 
many  of  the  future  gigantic  developments  of  our  particular  sec 
tion  the  corner  stones  thereof  should  have  inscribed  the  name  of 
WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN. 

I  can  not  properly  pen  the  estimate  that  should  be  placed 
upon  him  as  a  companion,  citizen,  public  servant,  and  man.  It 
would  require  one  of  his  rare  qualities  and  gifted  powers  to 
write  a  suitable  eulogy  to  his  memory.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that 
he  used  his  magnificent  endowment  by  nature  for  the  good  and 
honor  of  his  State  and  district,  and  that  he  was  eminently  a 
useful  man. 

Judge  Thomas  M.  Paschal,  of  Texas,  a  colleague  of  his 
in  the  last  Congress,  wrote  thus  : 

To  say  that  this  gifted  and  useful  son  of  Texas  was  without 
faults,  faults  that  marred  the  harmonious  whole  and  symmetry 
of  his  character,  would  be  to  say  what  he  least  of  all  would  have 
had  insincerely  said  of  him;  but  it  can  be  truthfully  said  that 
the  one  human  being  who  could  most  seriously  complain  of  them 
was  WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN  himself.  Over  none  in  Texas  or 
in  Congress  who  have  crossed  the  great  river  and  now  rest 
beneath  the  shade  of  the  trees  will  the  mantle  of  charity  be  more 


56  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

completely  drawn  than  over  him.  At  the  foot  of  none  will  be  laid 
more  lasting  or  genuine  tribute;  and  his  friends  will  ever  shed  a 
tear  as  his  name  is  spoken  or  his  words  and  deeds  remembered. 

The  press  of  the  State  which  had  honored  him,  and  which 
he  had  honored,  laid  tributes  of  grief  and  sorrow  on  his 
bier.  I  quote  the  following  from  the  Laredo  News : 

To  pay  tribute  to  this  man  is  the  duty  of  every  man  who 
called  him  friend.  To  those  from  whom  he  differed,  both  in 
politics  and  religion,  he  accorded  the  greatest  freedom,  and 
expected  nothing  less  than  he  gave,  and  even  Pythias  had 
nothing  to  teach  him  in  friendship.  Could  it  be  possible  that 
such  a  man  could  go  to  that  that  mind  could  not  conceive 
without  a  requiem  in  moans?  ' '  L,et  the  dead  past  bury  its 
dead,"  and  no  man  who  admires  all  that  goes  to  make  up  a 
noble  manhood  will  deny  the  tribute,  "This  was  a  man!" 
With  all  his  faults,  where  shall  we  find  his  equal? 

The  El  Paso  Times  said  : 

His  bitterest  enemies  have  always  accorded  to  him  honesty  of 
purpose  and  the  courage  of  his  convictions.  Mr.  GRAIN  will 
live  in  the  pale  moonlight  of  memory,  and  his  name  will  shine 
resplendent  in  the  list  of  patriots  who  have  crossed  over  the 
river  to  rest  in  the  shade  of  the  trees. 

To  his  political  promises  he  was  constant  as  the  polar 
star.  By  his  friends,  through  calm  and  storm,  he  stood 
like  the  granite  hills.  He  knew  the  people;  the  people 
knew  him.  Many  times  he  was  their  standard  bearer. 
He  was  never  defeated,  and  never  surrendered  until  he 
bowed  his  head  in  death. 

And  now  he  sleeps  in  the  breast  of  the  mother  State  he 
loved  and  served  so  well.  Farewell,  friend  GRAIN!  Your 
life's  battle  is  over.  May  thy  soul  find  sweet  rest  in  the 
sleep  of  the  dead,  and  when  the  morning  light  breaks  on 
resurrection  day,  may  your  soul  ascend  to  that  abode  above, 
where  all  is  peace  and  all  is  love. 


Address  of  Mr.  Fitzgerald  of  Massachusetts.  57 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  FITZGERALD. 

Mr.  FITZGERALD.  Mr.  Speaker,  it  was  not  my  privilege 
to  enjoy  a  very  intimate  acquaintance  with  WILLIAM 
HENRY  GRAIN,  but  the  short  acquaintance  I  had  with  him 
endeared  him  to  me  very  strongly.  I  think  I  do  not  go 
beyond  the  bounds  of  reason  and  fairness  when  I  say  that 
he  was  truly  one  of  God's  noblemen.  The  gentlemen 
who  have  preceded  me  and  who  have  uttered  words  of 
earnest  eulogy  were,  most  of  them,  much  more  intimately 
acquainted  with  him  than  I  was.  They  have  told  you,  in 
beautiful  and  expressive  language,  of  his  career  at  college, 
how  his  kindly  nature  and  his  broad  and  generous  sym 
pathies  endeared  him  to  every  member  of  his  class,  and 
how  at  that  early  age  he  gave  promise  of  future  greatness. 
They  have  followed  his  course  in  the  days  of  his  early 
manhood  in  his  native  State.  They  have  told  you  of  his 
service  as  district  attorney,  an  office  which  demands  the 
exercise  of  the  best  judgment  and  sometimes  of  the  stern 
spirit  of  justice,  and  they  have  described  how  in  that 
capacity  he  was  first  of  all  true  to  the  Commonwealth, 
true  to  the  people,  and  how,  regardless  of  friend  or  foe,  he 
always  meted  out  exact  justice.  They  have  described  his 
career  as  a  leader  in  the  senate  of  Texas,  and  told  you  how 
he  then  manifested  the  same  abilities  and  qualities  which 
afterwards  made  him  eminent  in  this  House. 

He  became  a  member  of  this  body  in  the  year  1884.  By 
his  ability,  by  his  knowledge  of  public  affairs,  by  his  wis 
dom,  his  forethought,  and  his  judgment  he  soon  became 
a  prominent  factor  in  the  House  of  Representatives.  I 


58  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

remember  when,  by  reason  of  ill  health,  I  was  absent  from 
the  deliberations  of  this  body  on  the  occasion  of  the  first 
debate  on  the  District  appropriation  bill,  I  read  the  senti 
ments  spoken  by  Mr.  GRAIN  on  this  floor — words  which 
have  been  quoted  by  the  gentleman  who  has  preceded  me — 
and  I  remember  how  proud  and  happy  I  felt  that  there  was 
in  this  Chamber  a  man  holding  the  same  religious  views 
which  I  held,  belonging  to  the  same  Church  to  which  I 
belonged,  who  was  ready  to  stand  up  here  to  defend  her 
principles  and  defend  her  sons  and  daughters  when  unjustly 
attacked.  But  that  was  to  be  expected  from  Mr.  GRAIN. 
He  was  always  loyal  and  devoted  to  his  Church,  always 
loyal  and  devoted  to  her  teachings.  In  all  the  debates  in 
which  he  participated  in  this  body  he  showed  himself  to 
be  one  of  the  keenest  observers,  one  of  the  best  informed 
members,  one  who  had  always  the  interests  of  the  whole 
people  in  view,  one  who  could  at  all  times  be  depended 
upon  to  cast  his  vote  in  the  interest  of  justice  and  of  broad 
humanity. 

The  gentleman  who  has  preceded  me  read  to  the  House 
a  few  moments  ago  the  graceful  tribute  paid  by  Dr. 
Everett  to  the  beauty  of  the  diction  and  the  rhetoric 
of  Mr.  GRAIN.  Nothing  that  I  could  say  would  add  to 
that,  and  I  will  not  attempt  to  make  any  addition  to  it 
other  than  to  say  that  such  a  tribute  from  such  a  source, 
coming  from  a  man  in  my  own  State  whose  abilities  in  that 
line  are  recognized  to  be  among  the  most  eminent  in  our 
Commonwealth,  is  highly  honorable  and  must  be  very 
gratifying  to  those  who  hold  the  memory  of  Mr.  GRAIN  in 
admiring  and  affectionate  remembrance. 

Mr.  Speaker,  WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN  is  no  more.  He 
died  in  this  beautiful  city  of  Washington  during  the  cold, 


Address  of  Mr.  Fitzgerald  of  Massachusetts.  59 

bleak  days  of  winter.  His  body  lies  entombed  beneath 
the  green,  fields  of  Texas.  The  flowers  of  spring  now  grow 
and  blush  above  his  grave,  and  we,  the  members  of  this 
House,  gather  here  to-day  to  pay  tribute  to  his  noble 
qualities.  In  closing,  let  me  say,  Mr.  Speaker,  that  it 
seems  to  me  that  Boyle  O'Reilly  typified  such  a  man  as 
Mr.  GRAIN  most  eloquently  when  he  wrote  the  beautiful 
lines  which  end — 

Come  brothers;  here  was  a  teacher, 

And  the  lessons  he  taught  were  good; 
There  are  no  classes  or  races, 

But  one  human  brotherhood. 

There  are  no  creeds  to  be  outlawed, 

No  color  of  skin  debarred; 
Mankind  is  one  in  his  rights  and  wrongs — 

One  right,  one  hope,  one  guard. 


60  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Crain. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  MILLIKEN. 

Mr.  MILLIKEN.  Mr.  Speaker,  I  was  not  apprised  until  a 
few  moments  before  I  entered  the  Hall  that  there  were  to 
be  eulogies  this  afternoon  upon  our  departed  colleague, 
WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN,  and  therefore  I  have  not  prepared 
myself  to  say  anything  formally;  but  still  I  can  not  forego 
this  opportunity  of  paying  my  tribute  of  respect  to  the 
memory  of  a  man  who  during  more  than  ten  years  in  this 
House  commanded  my  admiration  and  affection.  My  early 
acquaintance  with  Mr.  GRAIN,  upon  his  entering  Con 
gress,  sprang  from  a  very  peculiar  coincidence.  Before  he 
was  born,  and  when  I  had  been  born  but  a  little  while,  my 
father,  William  Milliken,  of  Montville,  Me.,  went  to  Texas. 
He  built  a  number  of  houses  at  Port  Lavaca.  During  his 
first  year  there  the  Comanche  Indians,  who  were  then  very 
strong  and  very  hostile  to  the  whites,  raided  the  town, 
scalped  the  men,  violated  the  women,  and  set  the  town  on 
fire.  Those  who  could  do  so  took  to  boats  and  vessels  to 
secure  their  safety. 

On  the  same  boat  with  my  father  was  a  very  beautiful  and 
accomplished  girl.  Eight  years  afterwards,  having  been 
married,  there  was  born  to  her  a  boy ;  and  in  the  Forty- 
ninth  Congress,  that  boy,  having  grown  to  manhood,  I  met 
as  a  colleague  in  the  Hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
It  was  WILLIAM  H.  GRAIN,  our  departed  colleague  and 
friend.  His  mother,  a  very  charming  lady,  was  in  Wash 
ington  several  years  ago,  and  recollected  the  Indian  raid 
upon  Port  Lavaca  and  all  its  terrible  details,  which  of  course 
were  most  interesting  history  to  me.  The  coincidence  to 
which  I  have  referred  attracted  me  to  Mr.  GRAIN,  gave  me 


Address  of  Mr.  Mi  I  liken  of  Maine.  61 

a  personal  interest  in  him,  a  feeling  of  warm  friendship  for 
him,  and  I  became  more  intimate  with  him  on  that  account 
than  I  should  otherwise  have  been.  It  was  an  intimacy 
that  was  always  most  gratifying  to  myself,  for  I  found  him 
to  be  one  of  the  most  lovable  characters  that  I  had  ever  had 
the  good  fortune  to  know. 

Mr.  GRAIN  was  a  brave,  honest,  earnest  man.  His  hand 
some  face,  his  fine  physique,  his  manly  bearing,  his  uniform 
courtesy  and  kindness,  and  his  generous  nature  could  not 
fail  to  make  him  attractive  to  everyone  who  had  a  heart 
and  a  mind  to  admire  that  which  is  good  and  beautiful. 

Even  if  I  were  ever  so  well  prepared,  I  am  sure,  Mr. 
Speaker,  that  I  could  not  say  anything  that  would  be  satis 
factory  to  myself  on  this  occasion.  There  are  times  in 
human  life  when  the  feelings  which  well  up  in  the  heart 
can  not  find  adequate  expression  in  words.  When  the 
devout  Christian  stands  by  the  altar  and  partakes  of  the 
bread  and  wine  which  to  him,  if  to  no  one  else,  is  the  blood 
and  body  of  the  Saviour  whom  he  worships,  and  in  whose 
pure  life  and  painful,  tragic  death  he  thinks  he  sees  his  only 
hope  of  a  happy  life  beyond  the  grave,  he  does  it  in  sub 
dued  tones  or  in  silence.  When  the  Mohammedan,  at  the 
setting  of  the  sun,  kneels  down  and  makes  his  orisons,  he 
does  it  in  utterance  inaudible;  and  when  a  man  stands  by 
the  deathbed  of  a  friend,  or  thinks  of  him  as  we  do  to-day  of 
having  gone  over  the  dark  and  shadowy  river,  tears  alone 
are  his  natural  language.  So,  while  I  would  gladly  pay  to 
our  deceased  and  lamented  colleague  a  tribute  such  as  I  feel 
and  such  as  he  deserves,  it  is  not  possible  for  me  to  do  so. 

He  has  gone  to  return  to  us  no  more  upon  the  shores  of 
time.  We  shall  see  his  incomings  and  outgoings  no  longer. 
His  eloquent  voice  has  been  hushed.  The  charm  of  his 


62  Life  and  Character  of  William  H,  Grain. 

material  presence  we  shall  not  feel  here  again.  But  I  know 
that  the  influence  of  his  noble  qualities  of  mind  and  heart 
will  ever  linger  with  us  as  lingers  the  perfume  of  a  sweet 
flower  even  when  we  have  long  parted  from  it.  We  will 
cherish  his  memory  as  a  possession  most  dear  to  us. 

Let  us  hope  and  believe  that  his  eyes  have  opened  to  the 
morning  light  of  a  never-ending  day.  Let  us  have  faith 
that  he  dwells  beneath  the  smile  of  that  Divine  Power  who 
created  life,  not  to  be  swallowed  up  in  death,  but  to  be 
renewed,  purified,  and  enlarged  in  a  realm  of  clearer  light 
and  broader  vision,  where  the  noblest  aspirations  and  grand 
est  dreams  of  our  lives  here  shall  become  our  assured  and 
beautiful  realities. 


Address  of  Mr.  Willis  of  Delaware.  63 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  WILLIS. 

Mr.  WILLIS.  Mr.  Speaker,  I  had  not  such  an  acquaint 
ance  with  the  gentleman  whose  memory  we  mourn  to-day 
as  would  warrant  me  in  any  detailed  remarks  in  the  way  of 
a  funeral  oration  or  eulogium  upon  his  character  and  mem 
ory.  What  I  have  heard  others  say  concerning  him  cer 
tainly  has  been  calculated  to  bring  a  sentiment  of  experience 
or  complacency  to  our  minds  in  connection  with  him;  in 
the  first  place,  that  he  was  a  gallant  man,  and  in  the  next 
that  he  had  faith;  and  if  these  were  possessed  by  him  he 
fulfilled  and  carried  out  the  requirements  of  two  of  the 
great  cardinal*  virtues  taught  in  the  Divine  Word.  We  have 
been  instructed  to  add  to  our  faith,  as  the  best  of  virtues 
which  man  can  possess,  manliness  and  courage;  and  certainly 
there  can  be  nothing  more  appropriate  for  a  man  who  rep 
resents  and  loves  the  people  than  to  exhibit  the  spirit,  the 
sentiment,  and  the  practice  of  bravery  and  manliness. 

Mr.  Speaker,  I  am  always  delighted  whenever  I  see  among 
public  men  that  generous  tone  of  bearing  toward  their  asso 
ciates,  that  unselfish  attitude  of  action  and  opinion,  which 
indicate  to  my  mind  the  possession  of  true  manliness. 

As  I  said  on  a  former  occasion,  greatness  in  human  life 
is  not  to  be  measured  alone  by  intellectual  powers.  It  is  a 
faculty  that  concerns  the  heart  as  well  as  the  brain.  A  man 
may  not  even  have  a  great  soul  to  be  a  great  man.  He  may 
have  very  many  infirmities  and  possess  many  peccadillos; 
but  if  the  soul  is  broad,  full  of  humanity  and  unselfishness 
and  of  charity,  he  has  in  his  heart  all  the  elements  that 
make  a  great  man.  And  then,  if  he  has  a  broad  intellect, 


64  Life  and  Character  of  IVilliam  H.  Crain. 

with  discriminating,  comprehensive  faculties  of  the  mind 
and  acumen  to  perceive  circumstances,  conditions,  or  situ 
ations  and  make  them  available  to  be  brought  to  the  inter 
ests  of  human  nature,  I  think  he  needs  no  qualifications 
that  go  to  make  up  a  great  man.  And  in  so  far  as  this  was 
a  manly  man,  a  man  of  that  character,  he  had  at  least  the 
elements  of  greatness  in  his  composition.  So  far  as  I  had 
an  opportunity  of  becoming  acquainted  with  him,  I  found 
him  brave  and  intellectual. 

I  have  been  pleased,  Mr.  Speaker,  on  these  funeral 
occasions,  with  the  disposition  of  kindliness  which  has 
been  manifested  on  the  part  of  the  members  of  this  body  to 
speak  well  of  those  who  have  left  us.  In  voting  and  speak 
ing  upon  a  resolution  in  regard  to  a  proposition  to  do 
away  with  the  memorial  services,  such  as  those  which  Con 
gress  has  been  in  the  habit  of  practicing  in  the  past,  I  took 
the  ground,  and  made  remarks  touching  the  point,  that  if 
nothing  else  were  to  be  gained  than  an  opportunity  to  speak 
well  of  those  who  have  left  us,  it  seemed  to  me  that  the 
exercises  would  be  well  worth  the  trouble  and  the  time. 

I  said  that  public  men,  and  particularly  men  in  delibera 
tive  bodies,  were  too  likely  to  find  out  what  was  objection 
able  and  to  enlarge  upon  the  shortcomings  of  their  confreres 
and  fellows,  but  that  these  funeral  occasions  afforded 
especially  favorable  opportunities  for  magnifying  what 
they  had  found — if  they  never  had  before  acknowledged 
it — that  was  good  and  broad  and  great  in  their  departed 
fellows.  I  was  impressed  with  this  idea  during  the  serv 
ices  that  were  held  the  other  day.  These  manly  intellects, 
broad  hearts,  affectionate  natures  which  we  find  in  repre 
sentative  men,  such  as  those  that  have  passed  away  from 
these  scenes  and  are  sleeping  the  last  long  sleep  of  death — 


Address  of  Mr.  Willis  of  Delaware.  65 

I  say  these  broad  intellects,  ever  seeking  to  know  more  and 
more  of  the  mysterious  and  the  mighty,  and  these  enlarged 
affectional  impulses  of  the  human  soul,  to  me  are  presump 
tive  arguments  in  favor  of  another  life. 

I  do  not  and  can  not  believe  that  so  much  of  good  material, 
intellectual,  affectional,  spiritual,  social,  was  ever  intended 
to  be  interwrought  into  a  human  structure  for  the  existence 
and  the  limitations  of  only, three  score  years  and  ten.  When 
an  architect  builds  a  magnificent  temple,  he  lays  the  foun 
dation  deep  in  the  soil,  constructed  of  impregnable  and 
lasting  marble,  spreads  the  architrave  and  extends  the  walls, 
so  that  it  shall  not  be  a  thing  of  a  season;  but,  with  all  its 
grandeur  and  costliness  and  splendor,  the  idea  underlies  the 
whole  operation  that  it  is  to  last  for  generations,  and  he 
would,  if  he  could,  like  the  ancient  Egyptians,  aim  at 
immortality  with  material  things.  I  can  not  believe  that 
Almighty  God,  the  skillful  and  eternal  Creator,  who  has 
constructed  the  strange  architecture  of  the  little  pebble 
and  the  fine  fiber  and  fabric  of  the  wing  of  the  tiny  insect 
which  can  keep  its  place  in  the  pathway  of  the  eagle 
through  the  storm — that  that  Divine  hand,  with  all  its 
skill,  ever  incorporated  so  much  valuable  material  in  a 
human  life  to  let  it  cease  utterly  at  the  end  of  three-score 
years  and  ten. 

I  wanted  to  say  this  thing  here  in  this  House,  and  that 
was  the  purpose  J  had  in  rising.  I  believe  that  death  is  not 
the  end  of  all  things;  that  it  is  not  the  destruction  of  the 
living  power;  that  the  fact  that  we  live  now  is  a  presump 
tion  that  we  shall  live  hereafter,  unless  it  can  be  shown  that 
death  is  the  destruction  of  the  living  power,  and  I  think 
every  presumption  is  against  it.  And  though  we  may  not 

be  willing  to  go  into  the  fine-spun  philosophy  of  theology, 
II.  Doc.  429 5 


66  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 

I  think  this  presumption  lays  itself  at  the  door  of  the  com 
mon  sense  of  every  man.  There  is  too  much  in  us  to  pass 
away  with  a  season.  These  men  who  have  left  us  will  live 
again  somewhere,  in  the  undiscovered  country  to  which  we 
are  hastening;  and  it  is  a  good  thing  for  us  to  remember 
that  we  are  mortal  and  that  we  are  immortal,  and  that  our 
immortality  carries  with  it  a  responsibility  which  is  as 
becoming  and  as  fitting  and  as  effective  in  a  legislator  as  in 
any  other  man  in  the  community. 

I  have  long  since  thought,  before  it  was  ever  my  honored 
privilege  to  appear  in  this  august  presence,  that  it  ought  to 
be  considered  a  great  functional  privilege  of  a  legislature 
such  as  this,  a  National  Legislature,  to  hold  up  and  have  a 
very  high  standard  of  manhood.  I  think  we  ought  to  be 
above  any  small  or  meanly  selfish  thing;  that  we  ought, 
indeed,  to  learn  to  ascend  the  elevation  of  human  excellence 
which  has  been  so  beautifully  marked  out  in  those  striking 
words  in  Scripture,  adding  to  faith  "virtue;  and  to  virtue 
knowledge;  and  to  knowledge  temperance;  and  to  temper 
ance  patience;  and  to  patience  godliness;  and  to  godliness 
brotherly  kindness;  and  to  brotherly  kindness  charity;" 
that  every  man  should  make  an  earnest  and  honest  daily 
attempt  to  ascend  this  sublime  elevation,  and  when  he  gets 
at  the  summit  he  ought  to  find  himself  with  his  feet  on  the 
neck  of  his  passions.  In  that  lofty  height  to  which  he  has 
attained  he  ought  to  feel  that  he  is  really  himself  a  con 
queror  of  the  world  through  faith  and  virtue.  And  it  is  my 
honest  desire  that  the  American  Congress  shall  have  just 
as  much  of  this  grand  principle  as  is  possible  under  the 
circumstances  and  environments  of  public  life. 

Mr.  PENDLETON.  Mr.  Speaker,  I  offer  the  resolutions 
which  I  send  to  the  Clerk's  desk. 


Address  of  Mr.  Willis  of  Delaware.  67 

The  Clerk  read  as  follows  : 

Resolved,  That  the  House  has  heard  with  profound  sorrow  of 
the  death  of  our  esteemed  colleague  and  friend,  WILLIAM  HENRY 
GRAIN,  late  a  Representative  from  the  State  of  Texas. 

Resolved,  That  the  sympathies  of  the  members  of  this  House 
be  extended  to  the  family  of  Mr.  GRAIN  in  their  bereavement, 
and  that  the  Clerk  of  the  House  transmit  to  them  a  copy  of 
these  resolutions. 

Resolved,  That  as  a  further  mark  of  respect  to  the  deceased, 
the  House  do  now  adjourn. 

The  resolutions  were  agreed  to. 

Accordingly  (at  4  o'clock  and  5  minutes  p.  m.)  the  House, 
in  accordance  with  the  special  order,  adjourned  until  8 
o'clock  p.  in. 


PROCEEDINGS  IN  THE  SENATE. 

FEBRUARY  10,  1896. 

A  message  from  the  House  of  Representatives,  by  Mr. 
W.  J.  BROWNING,  its  Chief  Clerk,  communicated  to  the 
Senate  the  intelligence  of  the  death  of  Hon.  WILLIAM 
HENRY  GRAIN,  late  a  member  of  the  House  from  the  State 
of  Texas,  and  transmitted  the  resolutions  of  the  House 
thereon. 

The  VICE-PRESIDENT.  The  Chair  lays  before  the  Senate 
resolutions  from  the  House  of  Representatives,  which  will 
be  read. 

The  Secretary  read  the  resolutions,  as  follows : 

IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES, 

February  10,  1896. 

Resolved,  That  the  House  has  heard  with  profound  sorrow  of 
the  death  of  Hon.  WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN,  late  a  Representa 
tive  from  the  State  of  Texas. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  nine  members  of  the  House  be 
appointed  by  the  Speaker,  to  act  with  such  Senators  as  may  be 
selected,  to  attend  the  funeral  of  the  deceased  ;  that  the  Sergeant- 
at-Arms  of  the  House  shall  take  order  for  superintending  the 
funeral  of  the  deceased  at  his  home,  and  that  the  necessary 
expenses  attending  the  execution  of  this  order  shall  be  paid  out 
of  the  contingent  fund  of  the  House. 

Resolved,  That,  as  a  mark  of  respect  to  Mr.  GRAIN'S  memory, 
the  House  do  now  adjourn. 

Resolved,  That  the  Clerk  communicate  these  resolutions  to 
the  Senate. 

Mr.  MILLS.  Mr.  President,  I  offer  for  adoption  the  res 
olutions  which  I  send  to  the  desk. 

69 


70  Proceedings  in  the  Senate. 

The  VICE-PRESIDENT.  The  resolutions  submitted  by  the 
Senator  from  Texas  will  be  read. 

The  Secretary  read  the  resolutions,  as  follows  : 

Resolved,  That  the  Senate  has  heard  with  deep  sensibility  the 
announcement  of  the  death  of  Hon.  WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN, 
late  a  Representative  from  the  State  of  Texas. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  Senators  be  appointed 
by  the  Presiding  Officer,  to  join  the  committee  appointed  on  the 
part  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  to  take  order  for  superin 
tending  the  funeral  of  the  deceased. 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  communicate  these  resolutions 
to  the  House  of  Representatives. 

The  ViCE-PRESiDENT.  The  question  is  on  the  adoption 
of  the  resolutions  submitted  by  the  Senator  from  Texas. 

The  resolutions  were  unanimously  agreed  to;  and  the 
Vice-President  appointed  as  the  committee  on  the  part  of 
the  Senate  under  the  second  resolution  Mr.  Mills,  Mr.  Gal- 
linger,  and  Mr.  Kyle. 

Mr.  MILLS.  Mr.  President,  as  a  further  mark  of  respect, 
I  move  that  the  Senate  do  now  adjourn. 

The  motion  was  unanimously  agreed  to;  and  (at  3  o'clock 
and  5  minutes  p.  m.)  the  Senate  adjourned  until  to-morrow, 
Tuesday,  February  11,  1896,  at  12  o'clock  meridian. 


MEMORIAL  ADDRESSES. 

MAY  1 6,  1896. 

Mr.  CHILTON.  Mr.  President,  I  submit  the  resolutions 
which  I  send  to  the  desk,  and  ask  for  their  adoption. 

The  PRESIDING  OFFICER.  The  resolutions  submitted  by 
the  Senator  from  Texas  will  be  read. 

The  Secretary  read  the  resolutions;  and  they  were  unani 
mously  agreed  to,  as  follows  : 

Resolved,  That  the  Senate  has  heard  with  profound  sorrow  of 
the  death  of  Hon.  WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN,  late  a  Represent 
ative  from  the  State  of  Texas. 

Resolved,  That  the  business  of  the  Senate  be  now  suspended, 
in  order  that  fitting  tribute  be  paid  to  his  memory. 

Resolved,  That  the  sympathies  of  the  members  of  the  Senate 
be  tendered  to  the  family  of  Mr.  GRAIN  in  this  bereavement, 
and  that  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  transmit  to  them  a  copy 
of  these  resolutions. 


Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Crain. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR,  CHILTON. 

Mr.  CHILTON.  Mr.  President,  I  did  not  know  Mr.  GRAIN 
as  intimately  as  some  of  those  who,  like  my  colleague, 
served  with  him  in  the  other  branch  of  Congress.  We 
lived  in  different  sections  of  our  far-reaching  Texas,  and  I 
believe  he  had  been  both  district  attorney  and  State  senator 
before  I  made  his  personal  acquaintance. 

I  remember  well,  sir,  the  occasion  when  I  first  saw  him. 
It  was  at  a  Democratic  State  convention  in  Texas  in  1880. 
A  large  crowd  had  assembled,  and  at  some  peculiarly 
stormy  moment  in  the  proceedings  a  tall  and  handsome 
man  arose  in  the  rear  part  of  the  hall,  with  a  tone  and 
manner  which  attracted  instant  attention,  and  addressed 
himself  to  the  work  of  extricating  the  convention  from 
its  confusion.  Some  one  who  sat  near  me  gave  the  name 
of  the  speaker  as  that  of  Mr.  CRAIN,  and  the  impression 
which  the  episode  made  upon  my  mind  has  never  been 
effaced.  In  thinking  of  him,  I  always  like  to  look  back 
to  that  day.  I  never  saw  a  brighter  face  or  keener  eye; 
I  never  saw  a  presence  more  imperial;  I  never  heard  a 
diction  more  felicitous  and  clear.  His  speech  was  short, 
but  it  was  complete.  There  was  no  waste  of  gesticulation, 
no  waste  of  language,  no  waste  of  opportunity.  It  was  all 
over  quickly.  Other  scenes  rapidly  succeeded  as  the  busi 
ness  of  the  convention  was  transacted,  but  none  which  are 
recalled  with  the  vividness  of  that  which  I  have  described. 
I  was  then  a  young  practitioner  of  the  law,  held  no  office, 
and  was  barely  beginning  a  limited  experience  in  politics, 
but  I  remember  that  the  conclusion  was  then  fastened 


Address  of  Mr.  Chilton  of  Texas.  73 

upon  my  mind  that  Mr.  GRAIN  was  suited  to  and  sure  of 
an  eminent  career. 

It  is  always  to  me,  sir,  a  most  interesting  study  to 
analyze  the  lives  of  public  men  and  endeavor  to  single 
out  the  particular  qualities  which  have  been  the  sources 
of  their  distinction.  In  Mr.  GRAIN'S  case  I  would  say  it 
came,  first,  from  that  accomplishment  which  has  been 
noticed  by  so  many,  his  mastery  of  undiluted  English 
expression;  next,  from  his  voice  of  music  and  of  power, 
and,  lastly,  from  an  overflow  of  animal  spirits  developed 
into  constant  vivacity  and  creating  a  social  charm  which, 
according  to  my  observation  of  mankind,  neither  study 
nor  learning  nor  experience  nor  even  good  temper  alone 
can  altogether  supply. 

Possessing  this  combination  of  personal  and  oratorical 
gifts  to  which  I  have  alluded,  it  may  well  be  supposed 
that  Mr.  GRAIN  was  specially  strong  as  a  political  can 
vasser.  He  could  interest  in  private  conversation,  he 
could  electrify  in  public  debate,  and  thus  it  was  that, 
though  his  adversaries  were  many,  he  was  triumphantly 
elected  to  Congress  term  after  term,  and  continued  to  his 
death  a  favorite  of  the  people. 


74  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  CAFFERY. 

Mr.  CAFFERY.  Mr.  President,  to  adequately  portray  the 
character  and  fittingly  eulogize  the  virtues  of  the  dead 
require  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  individual  while 
alive.  I  lack  the  essential  element  of  that  acquaintance  to 
do  full  honor  to  the  memory  of  WILLIAM  HENRY  GRAIN. 
The  only  time  I  was  thrown  in  contact  with  Mr.  GRAIN 
was  on  the  train  from  New  Orleans  to  Washington  several 
years  ago.  During  that  journey  there  was  between  us  a 
free  interchange  of  thought  and  a  candid  expression  of 
opinion  on  many  of  the  leading  topics  of  the  day. 

The  Southern  character  is  distinguished  for  absence  of 
form  and  freedom  from  restraint.  When  intelligent  gentle 
men  of  high  social  or  official  position  are  casually  brought 
together,  with  rapid  insight  they  correctly  estimate  each 
other's  character;  with  sagacious  confidence  they  lay  the 
foundation  for  a  friendship  which  in  time  frequently  warms 
into  the  closest  intimacy ;  there  is  neither  that  reserve  which 
repels  advance  nor  that  caution  which  seeks  seclusion. 

During  the  journey  referred  to  I  observed  in  Mr.  GRAIN 
a  character  that  was  chivalric,  an  intellect  that  was  solid, 
yet  brilliant.  His  versatility  was  remarkable;  his  power 
of  description  graphic;  his  opinions  just.  In  his  bearing, 
there  was  an  urbanity  of  manner  which  charmed  his  com 
panions;  in  his  discourse,  a  poetry  of  expression  which 
almost  glowed  into  verse. 

But,  sir,  I  was  not  fortunate  enough  to  enter  the  sanctu 
ary  where  mind  fully  discloses  itself  to  mind  and  heart  to 
heart — the  sacred  sanctuary  devoted  to  human  friendship; 


Address  of  Mr.  Caffery  of  Louisiana.  75 

and  therefore  tenderer  hands  than  mine  have  laid  their 
tribute  on  his  grave,  and  more  loving  hearts  than  mine 
have  done  honor  to  his  memory.  Though  this  be  so,  a 
Louisianian  brings  this  sincere  offering  to  his  name  and 
fame  and  lays  it  on  the  grave  of  the  noble  Texan. 

Mr.  President,  "Noscitur  a  sociis"  is  a  maxim  as  true  in 
ethics  as  in  law.  Judged  by  this  maxim,  the  young  and 
promising  statesman  was  only  unfortunate  in  his  untimely 
death.  He  had  "won  golden  opinions  from  all  sorts  of 
men."  His  associates  in  the  House  of  Representatives 
with  one  accord  honor  his  memory  and  grieve  for  his  loss. 
With  affectionate  zeal  they  stamp  his  character  and  his 
ability  with  the  seal  of  their  love  and  respect. 

Where  he  lived  and  where  best  known  there  were  tears 
for  the  death  ' '  that  did  sit  on  his  brow  like  an  untimely 
frost;"  there  was  love  for  the  citizen  and  praise  for  the 
Representative,  and  there  the  memory  of  his  worth  will 
long  outlive  the  generation  which  cherishes  it. 


76  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Grain. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  MILLS. 

Mr.  MILLS.  Mr.  President,  on  the  loth  day  of  February 
last,  in  the  hours  of  the  early  morning,  WILLIAM  HENRY 
GRAIN,  a  Representative  from  the  Eleventh  Texas  district, 
in  the  forty-eighth  year  of  his  age,  joined  the  innumerable 
caravan  that  is  ever  journeying  toward  the  unknown  land. 
For  twelve  years  he  had  been  honored  by  the  people  of  his 
district  as  their  Representative  in  the  National  Legislature. 
It  is  useless  to  inquire  how  well  he  discharged  the  duties 
of  the  high  station  he  occupied.  His  constituents  have 
answered  all  such  questions  by  their  cordial  indorsement  at 
each  recurring  election.  From  the  beginning  to  the  sad 
ending  of  his  public  career  he  held  without  one  wavering 
moment  not  only  the  confidence  but  the  affection  of  the 
people  among  whom  he  lived,  for  whom  he  labored,  and 
beside  whose  departed  loved  ones  he  has  been  laid  to  sleep 
until  the  gray  dawn  of  another  morning,  when  those  that 
sleep  shall  awake,  and  awake,  as  he  believed,  to  another,  a 
higher,  and  a  better  life.  When  one's  life  has  been  rounded 
out  to  hoary  hairs  and  furrowed  cheeks  and  his  head  is  then 
bowed  upon  the  bed  of  death,  there  is  a  consolation  that 
comes  to  the  hearts  of  loved  ones  and  friends  in  the  con 
sciousness  of  the  fact  that  he  has  accomplished  the  work 
that  the  Master  assigned.  But  when  we  stand  by  the  open 
grave  of  a  faithful  public  servant  who  has  fallen  in  the  full 
vigor  of  physical  manhood  and  great  intellectual  endow 
ments,  there  is  a  touch  of  deeper  sadness,  a  pang  of  keener 
grief.  It  is  in  the  shadow  of  that  grief  all  Texas  stands 
to-day.  From  the  Sabine  to  the  Rio  Grande  and  from  No 
Mans  Land  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  he  was  known  to  all. 


Address  of  Mr.  Mills  of  Texas.  77 

In  the  interesting  and  sometimes  angry  contentions  in 
reference  to  the  adjustment  of  public  questions  he  was 
always  a  participant,  and  one  who  was  always  ready  to  give 
a  reason  for  the  faith  that  was  in  him.  In  an  intellectual 
encounter  he  was  not  an  adversary  to  be  despised,  and  the 
foeman  who  made  the  mistake  of  underestimating  his 
strength  always  paid  the  penalty  for  his  rashness  before 
the  encounter  ended.  At  24  years  of  age  he  was  elected 
district  attorney  of  the  district  in  which  he  lived.  This 
position  presented  to  him  a  splendid  field  for  the  display  of 
his  intellectual  gifts  and  attainments.  In  this  arena  he  was 
constantly  pitted  against  the  ablest  and  best  lawyers  of  his 
district.  It  would  be  fulsome  flattery  to  say  that  he  always 
came  off  first  best  in  encounters  with  such  a  bar  as  that 
district  had.  But  daily  battle  with  strong  men  improved 
and  whetted  his  own  intellect  and  enabled  him  to  mount 
faster  and  higher  the  eminence  whose  summit  he  was 
struggling  to  crown. 

In  the  exercise  of  his  official  duties  as  an  officer  of  the 
State  he  was  in  constant  touch  with  the  people.  The  circle 
of  his  acquaintance  was  ever  expanding,  and  as  it  widened 
his  hold  grew  stronger.  He  was  endowed  with  a  bright, 
quick  mind,  and  with  an  ever  present  wit  and  a  generous 
warmth  of  disposition.  He  could  prosecute  without  per 
secuting.  He  could  differ  sharply  without  offending  those 
with  whom  he  differed.  There  were  genial  sunshine  and 
warmth  displayed  in  his  intercourse  with  all  that  attached 
his  fellow-citizens  to  him,  and  he  died  without  knowing 
how  strong  that  attachment  was. 

In  1884  he  was  chosen  the  Representative  in  Congress  of 
the  district,  which  then  bristled  with  men  of  ability,  the 
constant  friendship  of  all  of  whom  he  held  to  the  last 


78  Life  and  Character  of  William  H.  Cram. 

moment  of  his  life;  and  when  he  announced  some  weeks 
before  his  death  his  determination  to  retire  to  private  life, 
his  resolution  met  their  remonstrance  from  every  part  of 
his  district.  They  believed,  as  did  all  his  friends,  that 
the  theater  of  his  usefulness  was  widening;  that  there  were 
higher  altitudes  to  which  fortune  was  inviting  him  and  on 
which  the  pride  and  affections  of  his  people  were  anxious 
he  should  stand.  But  he  felt  that  twelve  years  of  the  very 
vigor  of  his  life  he  had  given  to  his  country,  and  he  should 
now  look  to  the  interests  of  those  who  were  dependent  on 
him  for  support.  His  earthly  goods  were  limited,  and  he 
felt  that  before  he  died  he  should  better  the  pecuniary 
situation  of  his  loved  ones.  Iri  a  conversation  with  him 
only  a  few  days  before  his  death  he  told  me  of  his  purpose 
to  quit  public  life.  In  common  with  other  friends,  I  remon 
strated  with  him  against  his  decision.  But  he  was  immov 
able.  In  a  few  days  after  our  conversation  he  was  taken 
away  from  his  people,  his  family,  and  his  friends.  He  fell 
at  his  post  and  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  imposed  upon 
him  by  his  fellow-citizens.  When  his  death  was  announced, 
there  were  no  mourners  more  sincere  than  those  among 
whom  he  was  born  and  reared.  They  were  not  only  proud 
of  him  as  their  Representative,  but  they  loved  him,  and 
loved  him  with  an  intensity  and  depth  of  feeling  that  is 
not  often  the  fortune  of  public  servants.  While  he  had 
every  evidence  of  their  confidence  in  his  integrity  and  fidel 
ity  in  his  discharge  of  public  trusts,  yet  he  never  knew 
how  deep  was  that  tenderness  of  personal  attachment  that 
bound  them  to  him.  These  are  virtues  that  only  manifest 
their  full  strength  when  the  cherished  object  is  destroyed 
and  the  image  passes  forever  from  our  sight.  Then  the 
foundations  are  torn  up,  and  all  hearts  pour  their  grief  into 


Address  of  Mr.  Mills  of  Texas.  79 

the  grave  of  the  loved  and  lost  and  speak  only  with  flowers 
and  shrouds  and  tears. 

Mr.  GRAIN  had  the  advantages  of  a  thorough  education. 
To  these  he  added  the  forces  acquired  by  a  life  of  reading 
and  study.  His  mind  was  strong,  active,  and  bright. 
When  his  brain  was  aroused  in  earnest  discussion,  he  com 
manded  the  clearest  and  most  forceful  words  in  the  English 
tongue,  and,  like  a  skilled  archer,  shot  every  arrow  to  the 
mark  he  meant.  When  he  felt  it  necessary  by  ridicule 
to  puncture  a  fallacy,  he  made  his  arrows  laugh  as  they 
flew.  When  it  was  necessary,  he  was  logical,  analytical,  and 
serious,  and  developed  an  idea  with  faultless  argument. 
He  had  what  men  call  moral  courage — that  power  that 
enables  a  man  to  stand  by  convictions  when  enveloped  in 
clouds  as  well  as  when  in  sunshine.  An  open,  frank,  and 
happy  disposition  attracted  friends,  and  held  them  when 
they  came.  His  hold  upon  them  was  manifested  when  his 
remains  were  carried  to  his  home  for  interment.  His  con 
stituents,  without  regard  to  party,  met  in  public  assemblies 
and  expressed  their  sorrow  at  his  loss.  From  every  part  of 
his  district  they  came  with  flowers  to  cover  the  grave  in 
which  was  to  rest  the  neighbor,  the  friend,  and  faithful 
public  servant. 

And  there  we  leave  him  to  sleep  on  till  the  mortal  shall 
put  on  immortality  and  the  dead  shall  wake  to  sleep  no 
more. 

I  move,  as  an  additional  mark  of  respect  to  the  memory 
of  the  deceased,  that  the  Senate  do  now  adjourn. 

The  motion  was  unanimously  agreed  to;  and  (at  3  o'clock 
and  50  minutes  p.  in.)  the  Senate  adjourned  until  Monday, 
May  18,  1896,  at  12  o'clock  meridian. 


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